The Stolen Bride
by Artist 111
Summary: Ten x Rose AU: A prince from a hostile empire takes the Doctor and Jack hostage in order to ensure Rose becomes his bride. A nation in rebellion, a fight for freedom, an unwilling bride and a promise to keep her safe at all costs. Death is on the horizon
1. Chapter 1

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Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it is owned by the lovely BBC!

**Prologue**

What would you do for the person you loved?

Lie for them? Cry for them when they were in pain? Carry their burdens with or for them? Commit a crime for them? Die for them? Marry someone else to save his or her life? All of the above? I would—I _did_. My eyes blur with tears as I feel Sari putting on the last pieces of jewelry, attaching the tiara and veil to my head. The pain I feel is worse than anything I have ever been through in my life, not even the power of the TARDIS tore through my veins like fire when I begged her to allow me the power to save the Doctor…

_My __Doctor__…_

I collapse into tears—I failed him!

_This was all my fault. _

I feel Sari trying to soothe me but I cannot hear her, I am lost. Lost in my grief and guilt. I accepted this damn Prince's offer of marriage to save Jack and the Doctor's lives! But it all was for not! The bloody bastard lied to me! He _lied_ to me! He promised he would spare them if I married him. Yet…the images flash through my mind

_The Prince's sly smile as he whispers in my ear. The look of triumph as the Prince announced their execution to the pleased peerage. The shocked looks on Jack and the Doctor's faces that turned quickly to anger. My pleas, curses and screams as guards tried to pull me away. The soft, loving look the Doctor gives me as he is forced onto his knees…the shots…his cold lips…_

"I'm so, so _sorry_…Doctor, I'm sorry…I love you," Sari hands me a silk handkerchief and tells me to dry my eyes, the Queen would be here to escort me along with the ladies of the realm to the chapel any minute now. I stand up, wiping my eyes as I walk to the mirror. I hiccup as I look at myself in the mirror. I am dressed in crimson instead of white since crimson is the color of the royal family on this planet. The dress is a mix between ancient Greek robes and something from a Jane Austen novel. I cannot describe it. I am dripping with gold and jewels; I am shimmering in the dim light like a star. Yet I don't feel like a star at all. I felt like a white dwarf, slowly dying, sending out the last vestiges of light I have out to the universe.

When I imagined my wedding day it was far from this…I imagined a small chapel filled with family and friends…A warm spring day, the smell of fragrant flowers in the air, the sound of laughter. My mum nervously jumping about trying to make sure everything was perfect. I smile at the thought of mum on my wedding day. God, she could hardly imagine this! Then again she was so far away anyway…living with my alternate world father in an alternate world where I would never see or talk to her again. That was the price I paid for staying with the Doctor and now…now…I wondered if I had been better off staying in that alternate world than stubbornly keeping my promise of staying with the Doctor forever. I gave a small mad laugh as I realized one way or another, I had no way of telling her, 'Guess what, mum? The Doctor is dead and I'm being forced against my will to marry an alien prince! Wanna come to the wedding?'

Mum…_Mum_ was supposed to be a big part of my wedding day…My mum would escort me down the aisle to my awaiting bridegroom, a warm smile on his face and love in his eyes…Not the cold hand of an alien prince forcing me to marry him, he may love me, but I do not, will not, _ever,__never_, love him! My face grows hot with anger as tears sting my eyes again. He killed the man I loved; I will never forgive him! I wouldn't even be marrying him, if I wasn't locked and guarded in my suite rooms 24/7! I'd be home…safe back on Earth.

On my wedding day I once imagined I would blush and my chest would feel warm with love as my bridegroom took my hand and whispered that I looked stunning in my wedding dress…I don't feel beautiful. I don't feel like a bride. I'm dressed in crimson—blood red crimson—how fitting. The gold and red jewels feel heavy and gaudy, gold was never my choice in metals; I preferred silver or platinum. Gold just…ech, made my face look too pale. Then again, I am very pale…I am shaking uncontrollably. Sorrow, guilt and anger fills my veins instead of excitement and love…My face is flushed from crying and my eyes are pink from crying so much…I feel miserable, cold, alone and ugly, I'm not beautiful at all! A sudden sharp rap at the door turns my attention away from the mirror.

"Rose, they are ready for you…" said Sari softly, her amber colored eyes, giving me a look of sadness and pity. She was my only friend here now; she knew I didn't want to marry this man. That I'd rather throw myself off the palace battlements then unite myself to that—that bastard of a prince! It was useless now…I have no choice anymore…I have nowhere else to go…The Doctor is dead, the TARDIS is somewhere in the wastelands of this planet, my TARDIS key has been taken from me…I cannot go home…

Sari straightens my train and the tiara on my head as she finally pulls the heavy, white, lace veil over my head. (The only white thing I'm wearing, mind you, since I insisted on it) She hurries over to the vanity as another sharp rap hits the bedroom doors.

"Just a second!" I call, my voice cracking from the amount of crying I had been doing for the past several hours. Sari hands me a large bouquet of crimson flowers and sprays a very pungent and sweet perfume all over me. I sneezed; whatever this was made of, I did not like it! Musky and simple perfumes suited me better than this sweet stuff! Sari took a step back and sadly surveyed me.

"You're ready," she said softly. She gave me a sad smile as I face the bedroom door. She reached for the door but I stopped her hand. My hands were shaking, I felt like crying again. Without a word I hugged her tightly. Sari froze for a moment; then hesitantly hugged me back with equal fervor.

"May the Gods watch over you Rose Tyler of Earth. You have sacrificed your own freedom and happiness to save your planet and your…friends. Only to be betrayed," I stiffened as I clung tighter to her, not wanting to leave this room. Sari pulled away and cupped my face, pulling the veil up so I could see her eyes, "The Gods have blessed you, Rose. They will grant you vengeance one day, I promise you that. Bless you, Rose." She then pressed a soft kiss on my forehead before lowering and straightening my veil again.

"Thank you, Sari. I'm sorry for being so mean to you at first." Sari shook her head as she lowered her head, trying not to show the tears streaming down her face. She bent down the fix my train again, though it did not need to be fixed.

"I understood you were scared, alone and upset. Forced here against your will." I smiled down at her as she tried not to look at me. There was another rap at the door, I ignored it; Sari stood up to answer it. Her hands were on the gold handles when I whispered,

"You have been a very good friend to me, Sari. I wish I could do more to help you. You and the people of this planet." Sari looked up at me and gave a sad smile,

"You already have, Rose. I've never had a more kinder and giving friend in my life than you. Who knows? With an Earthling as our Queen one day, you could make changes to help the lower classes on this planet." I lowered my eyes down to the floor. We both knew that was impossible. I would only be a Queen consort one day…if I lived that long…I would have little to no power here. This Empire was a patriarchal society for the nobles, royalty and common folk alike. Ninety-five percent of the planet's population had been enslaved, mistreated and poor for centuries. What could I do to change centuries of oppressive rule?

Sari pulled open the door and bowed as the Queen entered the room. I fell into a curtsey before her, my soon-to-be mother-in-law. She gave me a warm smile as she greeted me,

"May the Gods smile upon you, my dear. It is time." I raised my head; the Queen's warm silver eyes gleamed at me. I felt myself blush, other than Sari the Queen was the only person who showed me warmth and kindness. The Queen wore robes similar to mine but they were royal purple lined with silver and she wore no veil that signified she was married. She offered her hand to me, her long fingers sweeping towards me. I took her hand as I resigned myself to my fate.

The ladies of the realm parted to let us pass. They were all dressed in bright colors, matrons and maidens alike. The married women wore no veils and a strange variety of headgear that made the hats ladies wore to Royal Weddings back in Britain look tame! The maidens, like myself, wore veils in their hair pulled back from their faces, but their veils were made of silk instead of lace since I was the only bride here. The maidens all glared at me and whispered behind their hands like primary school girls.

With the Queen there, they dared not to call me dirty names. (They had been doing that for three weeks straight!) Yet if looks could kill, I'd be dead ten times over. I rolled my eyes; thankful my veil was so dense that they could not see me. If they wanted to be in my place, I would gladly give it to them! Their eyes all radiated jealousy and anger; some bared a hint of their canine like fangs at me. I more than wanted to yell at them that anyone of them could take my place and I'd be glad to not be marrying that stupid prince, but I could not. My mouth was too dry to say a word.

The matrons all looked me up and down like a prized horse. I could tell what they were thinking. 'Why was this stupid Earth girl going to marry their prince instead of one of their daughters or granddaughters?' The Queen shot a group of elderly matrons a look and slowly, they all fell to their knees in homage. Slowly we walked towards the chapel, through winding hallways of the palace. The palace was beautiful, very beautiful decorated with paintings, statues and foreign stones and metals I did not even know existed. The palace could stand up to some of the most beautiful palaces on Earth…But the splendor and beauty of the palace was lost on me. With each step I was getting closer to sealing my fate.

We finally reached the large wooden and gold doors of the chapel. I could hear chatter behind the doors, it was so loud that it was like bees buzzing in my ears. The doors then opened as light blinded me for a second. The chapel was full to the brim along the royal blue carpet that led up to the altar. The matrons entered first to take their seats. I was trembling violently. The Queen gave me a gentle smile,

"Nervous?" she asked, softly. I couldn't bring myself to speak; afraid I would vomit at any moment as my stomach was more jumpy than it had ever been in my life. Suddenly everyone turned to face the Queen and I as what sounded like trumpets and a full string orchestra announced our arrival. It was a crescendo of beautiful, triumphal music that could fill one's soul with wonder. Yet my soul was empty, blank, I felt like a walking shell. I always expected to hear the traditional 'Here Comes the Bride' march, not this triumphal music that tried to dispel the blood that was shed to get me here!

I couldn't breathe; I was here, here, to be wed to a man who was a murderer, a liar and whom I did not love! My vision went blurry with tears and the lack of air. I placed my hand for a moment on my heart as I tried to return my breathing to normal. Once I was ready, I placed my sweaty hand back into the Queen's. I squeezed her hand, asking for comfort and support.

"Please…_please_," I licked my dry lips so I could speak, "Please don't let me fall." I looked up at the Queen; she gently pressed a kiss against my head. I wanted to scream at her, couldn't she see how miserable I was? How her son tricked me into this? When she looked at me, I could see for a moment, pity in her eyes as she squeezed my hand in return. On this planet, women had little rights, maybe, maybe she had been forced into marriage herself against her will…She gave me a sad smile,

"Never, my dear Rose," The music swelled as the Queen took the first step and half pulled me with her. She looked at me as we started the long march up the aisle as the court bowed and curtseyed to us. She leaned in just slightly and whispered, "I'm sorry…" No wonder she was so kind to me, she knew just how I felt…

Those words cut deep into my soul, into my heart. I squeezed her hand tightly as I looked down at my feet, my bare feet, unable to look her in the eye. Why I am a barefoot bride? I was surprised to learn brides in this culture went to the altar barefoot to symbolize leaving her father's house and care to be brought to her husband's care. Usually there was a ceremony at the chapel doors; the father removed the bride's shoes as a gesture that he was handing over his daughter to the groom.

Yet…yet my dad had died when I was a baby…Tears stung my eyes (the Doctor took me back to that time and I damn well near destroyed the timeline due to my own anguish and stupidity! And now my mum and alternate father were stuck in an alternate world. As good as dead!) With my lack of a father alive or otherwise, I asked the Queen to escort me up the aisle last night—knowing I was doomed to this fate now that the Doctor was gone…

With a steady hand the Queen guided me up the stairs to the altar. I looked up to see _him_ smiling down at me. I was glad the veil covered my face as to not show him the look of utter disgust and contempt I felt for him! The King took the Queen's hand and guided her to the large pair of thrones near the altar. I felt the last vestige of courage and strength leave me with her hand. I was alone—cold and alone with this bastard. I had no way out!

"Rose?" I looked up at the Prince; he had stopped smiling as he offered his hand to me, "Come," he commanded; I bit my lower lip to stop from screaming at him and running back down the aisle, I took his cold hand. Why not run away you say? Where would I go? I had no way home…The Prince smiled down at me again as he led me to the priest dressed in funny robes and an absurd hat that would make the Archbishop of Westminster blush! I felt my world fade into darkness and silence as the ceremony began…this was my fate…my life…

_And I had no say, no choice…Not any more…_

I am Rose Tyler, and I am about to marry the man who _killed_ my Doctor.


	2. Chapter 2

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Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it is owned by the lovely BBC!

**Chapter 1: Just Another Day…Or Not**

Rose Tyler stretched as she walked into the main control room of the TARDIS, another day, another adventure. Rose yawned as she pulled on a lightweight jacket over her bright pink shirt. She always woke up excited, ready to start the day. Her life with the Doctor was far from normal. They travelled space and time as if it was a game. Rose was learning so much that she was sure if she went to university this fall, she'd pass every class she took.

There were times that danger had stepped into their path more than once. Whether it was on Earth (no matter what year or century it was) or another planet, she and the Doctor were there like clock work. Always saving the universe. The Doctor jokingly gave her the title, 'Defender of the Universe.' Rose would always roll her eyes and give him a playful punch on the arm.

Yet saving the universe did not come without sacrifices and Rose nearly lost her life more than once. Only a few months ago at the Battle at Canary Wharf, Rose nearly slipped into the Void while she and the Doctor battled Daleks and Cybermen. By some miracle Rose had managed to hang in there and stay with her Doctor. Rose shook her head, knocking the memory away. It took her nearly a month to stop having nightmares about that day. Waking up screaming and crying, scaring the Doctor to death on several occasions! But he was always there to hold her and wipe away her tears.

Speaking of which…Rose stopped in the middle of the control room and spun on the spot. It was awfully quiet…that was a very odd occurrence on the TARDIS. She looked around, where was the Doctor?

"Doctor?" she called, there was then a loud bang, which made her jump. Rose stood on edge as there was another loud crash and a loud yelp of pain. It came from the other side of the console. Rose skirted around the console and found several of the floor grates were open. Rose knelt down and leaned over to see numerous flashing lights, controls and wires everywhere. Frowning she could not see the Doctor, though she knew he was under there…somewhere. Clenching down on the grates, she leaned her weight forward, using her legs to balance herself out. Leaning over the grate she noticed amongst the tangle of wires, levers and control boxes, was a pair of red Converse. Rose grinned to herself as she thought to herself, _Gotcha!_

"Need some help?" she asked, her voice echoing slightly. The feet disappeared and within seconds she came almost nose-to-nose with one injured Time Lord looking up at her. The Doctor scowled at her as Rose covered her smile as she whispered, "Oops." Rose reached out to take his tools from him as she forced her weight back and righted herself. She tossed the tool kit onto the console as she sat there, waiting for him.

The Doctor's head popped up with an annoyed expression on his face, rubbing the back of his head. Rose giggled to herself as she grabbed hold of his suit coat.

"Come on, up you get," she said in a semi-patronizing tone. Rose helped pull him out as he heaved himself out of the grating, his Sonic Screwdriver in between his teeth. He then sat next to Rose, rubbing his head again.

"Did I startle you?" she asked quietly, the Doctor opened an eye and gave her a look. She did. "Sorry," said Rose, as she pried the Doctor's hand off the back of his head. Taking his Sonic Screwdriver from between his teeth, she pressed the button and ran a scan over his injured head. The reading came back normal, no concussion or bleeding, "You'll probably get a massive goose egg in a few minutes," she told him, sitting beside him.

"Morning to you too," he said, giving her a grin. Rose handed him back his Sonic Screwdriver as she slumped back to stare at the TARDIS's ceiling. The architecture of this ship never ever seemed to stop amazing her. Her eyes played across the odd patterns on the walls.

"What were you doing down there anyway?" she asked the Doctor still staring up at the ceiling, "Is the TARDIS okay?" She felt him poke her legs and she moved them so he could put the grates back in place. Rose shut her eyes for a moment but then felt someone watching her. She cracked opened an eye to see the Doctor was leaning over, grinning down at her.

"Just standard repairs, you?" Rose smiled up at him as he leapt to his feet. Rose shrugged as the Doctor offered his hands to her. Rose took them and with little effort he pulled her to her feet. He then picked her up off the ground and swung her around.

"Where shall we go today, Rose?" Rose giggled as he set her down on her feet again. Rose looked up at the ceiling again, where to go? Where to go? She looked at her Doctor again, his warm brown eyes watching her. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his nose.

"You pick." The Doctor released her as he jumped around the console, setting the coordinates and stabilizing the TARDIS. Rose found her usual handle grips on the console as the TARDIS's rotor started up, giving off that eerie sound that always thrilled her. She watched with amusement as the Doctor danced around the console, doing his usual thing.

"How about the planet, Andorra?" Rose's eye brows rose. She then smiled, so many of these planets and galaxies she never even heard of. It always amazed her that human astrology, space sciences and understanding of the universe was still in its infancy compared to what the Doctor knew and saw, "Haven't been there in centuries. The Time Lords once had a treaty with that planet at one time, but they had a corrupt Empire and peerage."

"Why did the treaty not last? What Empire?" asked Rose, the Doctor stopped as he read the timeline scanner and nodded. He looked over to see Rose's brown eyes curiously staring at him. He gave her a soft look, his curious Rose. So many questions, so little time.

"They broke so many of the treaty clauses and the Empire was horrible to its people. Only five percent of the entire planet's population owned the entire planet's wealth," he then stuck his tongue between his teeth as he thought of a proper Earth similarity that Rose would understand, "Think of a mix of the conditions that started the French and Russian Revolutions and the Empire from _Star__ Wars._"

Rose laughed; she loved it when he tried to put the issue in her perspective. There were days where his mouth would run off at a million miles an hour and Rose could barely understand what he was talking about. It still made her head spin, but she was getting better at understanding his, whacky, intelligent, scientific jargon.

Rose's laughter suddenly died in her throat as she felt herself becoming dizzy. She shook her head wondering it had been because was had been upside down for too long before…Yet the dizziness did not dissipate, it only grew worse. The room started to spin, what was happening? She never got dizzy like this for no reason before! Her hand found the side of the console, reassuring herself she was still in the here and now. Rose closed her eyes as her vision faded in and out. Feeling as if she was going to fall over at any moment, she felt for the smoothness of the side of the console as she slipped down the side. She felt her head begin to pound with a pain that was vaguely familiar but she could not place it…

"_Awaken.__ Awaken, __my__ darling __Rose. __My __wild__—__Bad__ Wolf,__"_ whispered a soft female voice that sounded like it was in her ear but also coming from her head. Feeling sick, Rose ducked her head between her knees as she clenched down on her head, trying to stop the dizziness and the pain that seemed to be engulfing her. Rose could hear her heart beat pounding in her ears like a drum…She then gasped as images flashed over her mind:

_A planet hovering in the distance, the atmosphere a brownish purple color—A glittering fortress and gloomy slums—A crimson banner lined with gold. She saw the Doctor on his knees, his hand reaching out towards her, screaming her name—Rose saw herself in a beautiful dress, but her face was pale, her eyes wide and bloodshot from crying—The sound of swords, guns—She saw a man with a gun, the Doctor, a gun shot, the Doctor bleeding, dying—The blood was on her hands, the Doctor's bright, red blood._

"_Beware! Beware, Rose Tyler! Stay away! STAY AWAY!"_

The pain and the dizziness stopped as Rose fell to the side, shaking, still gripping her head. The cold, painful metal of the grates were soothing as she lay there, breathing hard.

"Rose? ROSE?" Rose vaguely felt herself being forced to sit up, her back pressed against the cold metal of the console. Her vision came back and the Doctor's face swam into view. His eyes were full of worry, his pallor, paler than usual. She could feel his cool, shaking hands running over her hot face, Rose blinked several times, the pain and dizziness fading away as fast as it came.

The Doctor pressed the back of his hand against her forehead, the sudden fever was fading, but beads of sweat still remained on Rose's forehead. What had happened? What made her so ill so quickly? He watched her cloudy, brown eyes become clear again. She was returning to normal, he could breathe, but only just.

"Are you okay? No, don't answer that. You're not." Rose did not respond. She still was in vague shock over fainting suddenly and that—that dream she had. Was it a dream? Was it just her mind playing tricks on her from the rush of chemicals trying to put her body back on track with the lack of oxygen and blood flowing to her brain? Rose shook her head; it was just her imagination. Yeah, that's it…

"I'm fine, Doctor," she said gently as she tried to get to her feet, "Just a dizzy spell." She found herself being forced to sit back down.

"You are not walking in your condition," said the Doctor sternly. Rose rolled her eyes, should she tell him he was starting to sound like her mother? Rose grinned at the idea, oh, he would not be happy to hear that. Rose then felt the Doctor grab her left arm and put it over his shoulder and neck. With a startled cry, Rose felt herself lifted up; as the Doctor scooped her up bridal style as she grabbed his suit jacket tightly with her spare hand.

"The trip is off. I'm taking you to the infirmary to see if you've caught something. I knew that Sector 5 was a terrible place to go—" he muttered under his breath. Feeling completely fine, Rose began to fight him. Flailing her arms and legs she managed to wiggle out of his arms and back away. He gave her a stern look; Rose raised her head and held her ground.

"I'm fine Doctor, really I am. I probably just got too excited. I'm not sick. There is nothing wrong with me, honest." The Doctor's eyes flickered up and down giving her a glance over. The paleness in her face along with the sudden flush had vanished as quickly as it came. Her eyes were their usual brightness, not the usual bright, dull look as they would normally be if she was sick. She looked him straight in the eye; she wasn't lying. She had a habit of biting her lower lip and looking away when she was lying. He sighed, still unconvinced, he waggled his finger at her to come here. Rose shook her head.

"I'm not going to kidnap you," he sighed, exacerbated with Rose's childlike behavior, "I'm going to run a simple scan." Rose slowly came forward as the Doctor reached into his breast pocket and pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver. Rose hesitantly got closer but the Doctor finished the last few meters by grabbing her wrist and pulling her in.

The normal sonic buzz and the blue light flashed in front of her face as the Doctor ran a quick head to toe scan. He frowned, nothing seemed to be wrong with her, no fever, no sign of a virus or bacterial illness…Rose raised an eyebrow as she tried not to grin. With a sigh he put the screwdriver back in his pocket and shrugged.

"There's nothing wrong with you." Rose raised her head in triumph as she leaned back against the console, looking quite smug.

"I told you—" The Doctor held up a finger and Rose grudgingly fell silent.

"Are you sure, you want to continue?" Rose rolled her eyes and nodded her head. Ignoring his intense stare, she looped her arms around the Doctor's waist and smiled up at him. He was always so careful around her, treating her at times as if she was like glass. Every bump, cut or injury she had at times seemed to him like a life or death situation! Humans have moments of weakness; it was normal. Whenever Rose's mum wore herself out she had dizzy spells and on the rare occasion, fainted. Rose wasn't surprised with the record breaking pace they'd been setting over the past few weeks that she hadn't passed out earlier.

"Yes, let's continue. I'm fine. Trust me, Tyler women have been known for generations to faint when they stressed or excited! Mum said she was this close to fainting on her wedding day." The Doctor grinned, during his previous regeneration; he had taken Rose to see her parents' wedding. He had to admit during the first few moments of the ceremony Jackie did look like she was going to keel over, then again so did Pete. Rose stood up on her tiptoes and planted a soft kiss on his lips. After a few moments the Doctor smiled at her as he released her. At first he took things slowly in starting the TARDIS up again, but quickly found his rhythm again.

"Ready, Rose Tyler?" he shouted as the turquoise colored rotor of the TARDIS began to move faster and faster, the eerie sound it made becoming louder and louder in pitch. Rose felt herself nod, but her stomach flipped over in fear. What was that—dream, vision—whatever…what was that about? Was Andorra an unsafe planet to visit? The flash of the Doctor's blood on her hands ran over her vision. Her own face pale, expressing an agony she could not comprehend.

Her mind told her it was just her imagination while her heart screamed, 'Don't go! Don't go! It's too dangerous!' She ducked her head; this was crazy! She was the average human female! She didn't have visions…yet…yet…the sense of unease did not go away. That worried her the most. Rose clenched the console tightly until some of the metal dug painfully into her flesh. "Rose?" Rose looked up to see the Doctor watching her as he finished setting up the final sequence.

"Ready!" she cried, plastering a smile on her face. The unease she felt intensified as she watched the Doctor continue to move around the console. Rose forced herself to relax, nothing would happen, it was just her. As long as she and the Doctor were together, they could take care of each other. That's right, they had each other. The vision of the Doctor's blood on her hands flashed over her eyes. No! That would not, will not happen…she'd always protect her Doctor. With a sigh Rose looked up, as the Doctor pressed several flashing lights. The Doctor then kicked up a lever and his hand hovered over a button. Rose held her breath in anticipation.

"Allons-y!" he cried out, a large grin on his face as he slammed the button. The TARDIS's rotor began to move faster and faster as the ship jerked side to side. Rose learned to gain excellent balance due to the awkward motions of the TARDIS on take off and landing. Rose gripped the console and laughed, it was another day…another adventure. All her fears vanished as fast as they came.

All was right and normal in Rose Tyler's world. Well, as normal as one can get being on a bright blue, police box shaped space ship, traveling space and time with a nine-hundred year old Time Lord! Rose shouted to the ceiling, grinning madly,

"Allons-y, Doctor!" The Doctor laughed hard, doubling over, he pressed his forehead against the console. Out of all the companions he had, it was Rose Tyler that made him smile the most and laugh the hardest. And he loved her for it. He prayed that she would stay with him forever for she was his world. He looked up at her; her brown eyes alight with happiness.

"What would I do without you, Rose Tyler?" he said, trying to contain his laughter. Rose shrugged,

"You'd be bored!" They grinned at each other before they burst out laughing, their laughter echoing around the TARDIS, not knowing the danger and hardship they would once again face.


	3. Chapter 3

Please Review! The faster the reviews are, the faster the post!

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it is owned by the lovely BBC!

**Chapter 2: Dances, Trainers, and the Planet Andorra**

The TARDIS jolted to a halt, Rose's lower torso and knees banged into the console. Rose let out a low curse as the Doctor shut down the TARDIS's main rotor and reverted the power to save energy in the power crystals. When the Doctor looked up, he saw Rose scowling at him.

"Landing too hard?" he asked, her brow furrowed as if to agree with his statement. Rose then turned around, leaning against the console. Wincing, she rubbed her kneecaps; that was a crazy landing. Can she please get through today without anything else happening to her?

"Geez that hurt!" she muttered under her breath. Limping slightly, she walked over and leaned against the jump seat, trying to rub the pain out of her left knee, since that knee banged the console the hardest. Fainting, broken knee caps…what next? Rose felt a cool hand snatch her hand off her knee. Rose winced as she settled her weight back on her injured knee, she tried to rest the majority of her weight on the balls of her foot, but that did not help. She was turned around, to find herself face to face, with the Doctor. She rolled her eyes at him, he was grinning slightly, the corner of her lips twitched up.

"What Doctor?" His smile widened as he ran his thumb over her hand. Rose's eyebrows rose, what was he doing? Rose dropped the slight smile on her lips. What was she doing? She was supposed to be mad at him. She frowned at him as she tried to pull her hand away from his as she turned sharply towards the doors.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go," she said, trying to keep her cool demeanor, she was not very good at staying mad at him for long. Rose looked over her shoulder at him, trying not to laugh now. His eyes said it all, the humor in his eyes, and the small smirk on his lips. He was trying to apologize for the rough landing.

_Well,_ Rose thought, _I__'__m__ not __forgiving __him__ that __easily! __Mum, __was __right, __I __give __in __too __quickly!_ She then tried to proceed forward, managing to slip her hand from his. But she did not get very far. Rose felt her body yank forward, when she tried to take another step forward, her arm stayed in place. The Doctor now had her wrist in a vice grip, a gentle vice grip, but a vice grip nonetheless. Rose crinkled her nose as a smile came against her will to her face. He was not letting her leave until she cooled her head and let him apologize huh? Rose wiped the smile off her face again.

"Doctor? Come on!" said Rose, gesturing towards the doors, her voice rising slightly in agitation and frustration. The Doctor's smile widened, now he was just being silly! Rose determinedly started to move towards the door again, hoping if she put her weight forward he would either let go or follow her. But much to her disappointment, she remained where she was. Rose groaned, now she was really getting mad! Before she could open her mouth to protest, she was deftly pulled back and spun around, the Doctor catching her, pulling her spare hand up in a dramatic dance pose. Rose pulled a face as she tried not to laugh, trying to fix her face into one of frustration.

"Oh, what? Are we going to dance now? Hmm? Make up your mind, will ya?" she snapped, the Doctor dropped her spare hand but kept a tight grip on her right wrist. Rose flushed; she was torn between being angry at him for the bad landing, her bum knees, his silence, his silliness! Though it was getting very hard since, for her, it was easy to forgive him for just about anything. Not to mention this little stunt was starting to amuse her! But Rose was determined not to give in! Her knees still hurt like hell and she was sure tomorrow they'd be black and blue! Not to mention if, and that's if at this point, they'd explore this damn planet, she'd have to do a lot of walking. Rose winced internally, God forbid they'd have to run from something!

The Doctor leaned in, making Rose back away slightly, raising her head in defiance. _He__'__s __not __gonna __get __to __me! __He__'__s __not __gonna __get __to __me!_ Rose thought, as she felt a blush rise up from her neck to her face. Rose promptly, put on her best 'Jackie face', and glared at him. Rose flushed deeper when he whispered in her ear,

"Well…Rose Tyler, the world doesn't end when the Doctor dances." Rose's frown twitched momentarily into a smile. During his previous regeneration, he taught her to dance, using those very same words when Captain Jack tried to convince her to dance to 1940's Big Band music with him instead of the Doctor! Rose then felt her weight shift forward, as the Doctor gracefully pulled her to him.

"Come on, old girl!" he shouted to the ceiling, Rose stared up with him, then rolled her eyes. He was talking to the TARDIS…again… "Let's cheer gloomy, little old Rose up!" Rose was about to open her mouth to tell the TARDIS to not listen to him when a lively waltz was struck up. Rose scowled at the console as the Doctor slid his hand down Rose's wrist to hold her hand. He gathered her limp left hand and placed it on his right shoulder. Rose's scowl deepened at the console when he slid his arm around her waist and began to half-lead, half-pull Rose into the waltz.

"Why do you do this to me? Can't I be _mad_ at him?" shouted Rose over the loud music at the console. The console was where the heart of the TARDIS was and therefore, to Rose, that's where the conscious self of the TARDIS was. The TARDIS gave an amused hum in response. Rose could swear if the TARDIS could talk, she would have been laughing.

Quickly, Rose's thoughts of being mad at the Doctor and the TARDIS faded as she concentrated on the complicated footwork of this quick time waltz. Though her dancing abilities were much improved, these kinds of dances Rose could barely do! The only way she managed them was with a very, very, good lead! Rose tried to stay mad, but soon found she could not. She began to smile as she was dipped, twirled and even lifted a few times into the air. Rose could see the lights dancing in the Doctor's eyes; she knew that her façade was not working. He knew her too well by now.

When the waltz ended, a breathless Rose stepped away from him, crossing her arms across her chest. Trying to regain her breath, Rose was able to put her face into a semi-amused, semi-angry expression. After that, she could not be mad at him…or the TARDIS. But Rose then raised her head in a snubbing look, a smile now wide on her face.

"Well, I hope you've _both_—" Rose shot a look at the console, then back at the Doctor, poking him in the chest, "—Have had you're fun! And I hope _you_ are ready to apologize! You're keeping us from our day." The Doctor sniggered, Rose was a terrible actress. They both knew that! She enjoyed their little dance; he knew she could never stay mad at him for long. She had such a forgiving heart, that was just one of the millions of things he loved about her. The Doctor then gave her a formal court bow, still holding her hand. Rose crinkled her nose to keep herself from laughing. He was starting to resemble a character from a _Jane__ Austen_novel.

"I'm sorry, my dear lady," he said softly, bringing her hand to his lips and kissed her hand, "I didn't mean to bang up your knees." Rose granted his apology with a genuine smile. Rose pulled him into a hug, which he returned. Rose buried her face into his suit coat, she muttered,

"Okay, I forgive you." She then pulled away just slightly, standing on her tiptoes; she patted his head, "Such a gentleman!" Rose then stepped back and dramatically offered him her hand. The Doctor grinned madly as he took her hand.

"Well…Allons-y!" she cried pulling him forward. The Doctor threw back his head and laughed, as the front doors of the TARDIS slammed open. The air smelled cool and clean, like after a rainstorm. The bright sunlight flared in Rose's eyes, she had to cover her eyes with her hand for a moment. When her eyes adjusted, Rose gasped and stopped dead, her eyes widened in shock.

The sky was purple.

A planet with a purple atmosphere…Just like the vision…

Rose shut her eyes to block out the sight, leaning against the TARDIS for support. No, those visions…couldn't have been warning her about this place! Could they? Fear began to climb its way into her heart, into her soul. Something terrible could happen…Blood, screaming…the Doctor…death…

"No," she whispered, clenching her fists, "It's all in your head!" She opened her eyes and quelled her shaking when she felt the Doctor stand beside her. He had an odd look on his face as he surveyed the scene before him. Everything seemed very similar when he last visited here in his fifth regeneration. The same purple sky, the plants, trees whose vibrancy and outlandish looks would outshine the beauty of earth's most beautiful plants. Let alone this planet was far superior in its shocking array of colors. It was peaceful, beautiful, not like last time. He frowned, last time this place was devastated by war. Maybe in the centuries since he last been here things had taken a dramatic turn for the better? Maybe…something just wasn't right, but he couldn't quite place his finger on it.

"Shocking? Isn't it?" he asked, humor coloring his voice. He looked down to see Rose leaning against the door frame of the TARDIS, her brown eyes wide in shock. No human had ever seen this planet before. The Empire had kept foreigners to a minimum centuries ago. Last time he was greeted by a squadron of Imperial soldiers; suspicious of why a Time Lord was on their planet. Especially after the treaty between the two planets had been broken off several months before. Civil war had started between the loyalists to the old ways and those who sought change with assistance from Gallifrey. Nearly got himself killed had not been for his friends on the side of the rebellion who had asked him to bring a message from them back to Gallifrey. Damn near didn't make it back!

The Doctor mentally shrugged, things changed apparently, but he would still keep his guard up in order to protect his precious companion. He watched with amusement as Rose opened and closed her mouth several times as she tried to respond to his question.

This was the place she was so scared of? The place that those…visions had shown her—death, sorrow, and agony? Rose shook her head, no; this could not be the place. It was impossible. There was so much beauty and color, how could such a place bring such sad visions? All the foreboding and fear instantly drained away despite her subconscious telling her to be mindful of her surroundings. Rose shook the fears away as she felt herself smile.

"It is shocking," Rose finally said, blinking several times, she had to rub her eyes; it was so bright! "It's like something out of a bloody 1980's music video!" The Doctor laughed; yes these colors did bring back memories of the bright neon colors that the 1980's was famous for!

"Want some sunglasses?" he suggested, grinning as Rose blinked several more times. Rose shook her head, once her eyes adjusted to the bright colors, she felt fine. Though, she wondered if she would have a massive headache after this trip.

"No, but you might want to keep some pain pills nearby. With all these bright colors, I might get a major headache." The Doctor had to stifle a laugh, Rassilon, she sounded just like Jackie! Rose then swung her and the Doctor's linked hands in anticipation.

"Alright, alright, let's go!" The door to the TARDIS clicked behind them as the Doctor double-checked she was locked. The TARDIS was locked and bolted, solid. He looked at Rose, her fingers twirling a gold chain with a number of keys on it. The largest, gold key was her TARDIS key.

Hand in hand, they walked through the brightly colored forest. Rose's eyes were wide with curiosity. She wished she had not left her camera behind at her apartment. She had never seen so many beautiful plants; it was as if she was in Wonderland.

"This forest is something! Right out of _Alice __in __Wonderland_!" The Doctor ran his fingers through his hair; this was no forest. Yes, to an average human this looked like a forest, but he knew better. These out lands outside the capital city of Catalonia were marshlands. The ancient rulers of this planet built the capital city here in order to gain protection from the marshlands during the rainy season. Thankfully, the rainy season was about two months away.

"Forest, no, marshland, yes." Rose turned to look at him sharply, her eyebrows disappearing into her bangs. Rose looked down; it did not look like marshlands to her. She then winced; these were her new trainers, why didn't he tell her this earlier? The Doctor knew what she was thinking as she gave him an odd look.

"These are not marshlands Doctor." The Doctor nodded as he walked forward, pulling Rose along with him.

"The rainy season here is two months away, so don't worry about your trainers!" Rose licked her dry lips, he didn't know, but these were the last pair of shoes her mum had bought her before…Rose sadly looked away. She missed her mum so much! She was in one world and Rose was in another, never to see each other again. Yet that had been Rose's choice when she chose the Doctor. Even though she had him, not being able to come back home to her mum hurt. It was beyond painful whenever she had a chance to think about it. She bit her bottom lip to keep herself from crying.

Her mum was the one person, night or day, rain or shine, through good times and bad, had always, always been there for her. To not see her, hear her…Rose smiled softly, even hear her berate the Doctor for some misadventure which left Rose either hurt or crying was something she had come to miss! Though she had been young, it was like loosing her dad all over again. It was as if her mum had died, not gone off to another world for her own protection and happiness! Rose looked down at her trainers again; she had to swallow hard to keep herself from sobbing.

She had been holding this back for too long. The pain, longing, and sorrow was all bursting to come forth. Rose was afraid she'd collapse into a blubbering mess right then and there. But she couldn't, not after the effort the Doctor and the TARDIS took to cheer her up before. Rose swallowed down her tears and sorrow. Look straight ahead; one foot in front of the other, she told herself. The Doctor's warm hand keeping her in a fixed reality.

Yet a few tears escaped her eyes, Rose did not notice them.

The Doctor noticed in the distance the towers of the Imperial Palace, it was then he realized that Rose had been quiet for quite some time. Rose was staring ahead, her eyes glazed over. The Doctor gently squeezed her hand, Rose blinked, he noticed a few tears dripped down her face. Her brown eyes went large, like a deer caught in the headlights; she quickly wiped the tears away.

"You alright?" Rose plastered a fake smile on her face. The Doctor frowned at her; she clearly was upset about something.

"No, I'm not," she admitted softly, looking away. The Doctor stared at her in shock, shocked that she had been so forthcoming with him. Rose usually tried to hide her pain from him. He stopped walking, but Rose obliviously continued to walk forward. Rose felt herself stop; it was then she realized that the Doctor had stopped.

"Doctor?" she asked, her brown eyes soft with sadness. The Doctor pulled her back gently towards him. Rose looked down at her trainers. Her eyes flooded with tears. Ever since that day at Canary Wharf, the Doctor had kept her mind off the loss of her mum, Mickey and even Pete, by keeping her busy. The whirlwind of activity kept her busy during the day and knocked her out at night. Preventing her from thinking of her lost loved ones. Rose clapped a hand over her mouth, to stop her sobs, but her tears were already visible.

"Rose…look at me," the Doctor softly commanded. Rose shook her head like a stubborn child. The Doctor felt his hearts hitch with each tear that fell down her face. What had triggered this? "Rose?" She looked up at him, her eyes streaming, she gave him a false smile.

"W-what?" she stuttered, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand. The Doctor could see it in her tear glazed eyes; this was about Canary Wharf, about her mum. Rose looked down, her eyes fixed on her shoes. It then clicked; his comment about her trainers started this?

"Did Jackie…get those trainers for you?" That was it. The dam burst. Rose could no longer hold back the tide of emotions and tears that she kept back for weeks. Tears she held back for his sake…and hers. Rose's eyes widened, her pupils dilating in fear, her chest tightening, making her hyperventilate. The tears she tried to hold back now streamed down her face like a waterfall. Her face went red as the impact of his words finally hit her. Rose buried her face in his chest, gripping his lapels as if it were life or death. Her muffled sobs hit his ears as each sob made her shoulders jerk. Her entire body shook, scared of the realization finally hitting home.

"Oh Rose…" he said softly, his hearts bursting for her, "All this time you haven't had a good cry for your mum?" Rose nodded her head as her tears doubled. The Doctor wrapped his arms tightly around her and rested his cheek against the crown of her head. For a few minutes the only sound that could be heard was Rose's sobbing. Guilt began to overwhelm him; part of this was his fault. _He_ made her choose, her family or him, _he_ kept her busy as to spare her the pain of thinking of her lost loved ones.

"Shh, it's alright," he said softly, rubbing circles into her back. He felt her shake her head for no. He pulled away as he heard her muffled words float up to his ears.

"No—no it's not. Mum—mum is gone—and—and I'm getting—the—the trainers she b-b-bought—dirty!" she sobbed, "Mum—mum is—is gone!" The Doctor pulled her close again, holding her much tighter than before. Rose was shaking violently now, so much so, he was afraid her knees would buckle. Yet Rose was strong, had she been hiding all this pain for weeks? He had no clue that she had not mourned the loss of her mother.

"I'm so, so sorry, Rose," he said softly, pressing a kiss into her hair, "This is my fault." Rose pulled away, her sad eyes staring up at him in confusion. He cupped her face, sadly staring down at her, wiping the tears away with his thumbs.

"I made you choose me or your mum. I kept you busy, so you wouldn't have to feel the pain of so great a loss. I've experienced that so much, so often, I didn't want to see that terrible grief in your eyes. Forgive me." The sadness and guilt in his eyes made Rose feel guiltier. He was just trying to protect her! How could he blame himself for that? She'd do the same thing for him! Rose shook her head, her eyes expressing that she did not blame him.

"How can you forgive me so easily?" he asked, his voice etched with sadness. Rose didn't answer, she buried her face back into his chest and continued to cry until she had no more tears to shed. He held her close, after that he did not say a word. He just let her cry. Rose finally pulled away, feeling exhausted and depressed. Yet she looked up at her kind, thoughtful Doctor and gave a sad smile,

"You—you were trying to p-pr-protect me," she then fingered his lapels, she gave a small laugh, "Now look what I've done, got you all wet." Rose sniffed as she rubbed her eyes, trying to stop herself from crying any more. The Doctor tipped Rose's head up so her glistening face looked up at him. A small smile was on his face, yet there was sadness in his eyes.

"All this over a pair of shoes?" Rose's face scrunched up and the Doctor quickly hugged her, a slight chuckle coming from his lips, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's just funny and sad at the same time." Rose then thought about what she was crying about. She was crying for her mum, but it was all over a pair of shoes! Rose then began to laugh and sob at the same time.

"Y-you're right!" she laughed, her face still streaming with tears. Rose pulled away from the Doctor, laughing louder and louder. She lost her mum! She lost her mum and she was fretting over a pair of shoes? Her laugh became almost mad in tone until she was bent double from laughing. When her laughing ended, she let out a few more sobs before she stumbled backward and fell down.

"Rose?" chuckled the Doctor as he rushed forward to collect her from the ground. Rose was smiling now, the sadness on her face fading away. He dug into his trench coat pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. Rose gave a bashful smile as she wiped her tears away.

"Thanks…" she said softly, twisting the handkerchief, feeling the heat rise into her face. As much as that cry made her feel better, the fact that she did it over a pair of shoes, in front of the Doctor, on a strange, colorful planet, made it embarrassing.

"Feel better?" he asked, a small grin covering his face. He reached out and rubbed one last tear away from her face with his thumb. Rose nodded, stuffing the handkerchief into her pocket.

"Yeah, I needed that…" Rose closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She felt calm, more at ease with herself and the world. She may miss her mum and her mum may miss her, but Rose knew as long as she was happy and healthy, her mum would be happy as well. Rose exhaled, opening her eyes, the stress and fatigue vanishing instantly. She looked ahead, looking towards the Imperial Palace towers; there was no time for grief anymore! She was with her Doctor on a strange, colorful planet! Places to go, things to do. With a sigh, Rose put a smile on her face; she turned to face the Doctor.

"Ready?" The Doctor shook his head as he took Rose's hand again. Humans' emotions could change on the dime, especially female humans. Rose's bright, shining, happy eyes looked up at him. What did he do to deserve her?

"Don't blame yourself," she said softly, looking straight into his eyes, "Had I been in your shoes, I would have done the same thing. I hate to see you in pain." Her warm smile melted his hearts. Yes, what in Rassilon's name did he do to deserve such a compassionate, beautiful, loving companion? A companion who always fought tooth and nail beside him. A companion who was ready and willing to stay with him forever. Forever, so he would never be lonely again.

The walk was uneventful for the most part after that. Exotic animals came out every once and awhile. Rose nearly went into shock from laughter when a fluffy animal came out from behind a bush. It was pink! Honest to God pink! It looked like something that you'd buy for a baby. Yet, most of the other animals came out, they did scare her quite a bit. The Doctor kept an arm around her shoulders to keep her from running away at the scary ones. She would still clutch his arm in a death grip, too afraid to move a few feet away from him.

"Did—did you see that!" she shouted as they passed a strange looking creature that made Rose scream. The Doctor pulled Rose close as she continued to ramble about the creature,

"Easy, Rose, that thing is harmless." Rose looked at him, shocked.

"Harmless? Harmless?"

As the forest and/or marshlands disappeared, a large wall appeared before them. And it was a wall! Rose could estimate that it was as tall as a six-story building! A large wooden and metal gate loomed above them. Numerous flags decorated the ramparts as Rose had to cover her eyes to look up to see guards pacing the battlements. A voice then echoed down from a guard station right over the gate.

"Who goes there?" Rose puckered her lips as she shot the Doctor a look. What was this? The 'Ye Old Fair'? The Doctor cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted,

"We're travelers! Wanting to see your beautiful city!" The guards looked at each other, then a muffled order was heard. Rose jumped at the screeching sound as the gate slowly began to rise. Rose's jaw fell, what was this the Middle Ages? The Doctor looked at Rose's shocked look and laughed. His Rose, she was always full of surprises. When the gate was half way up, a guard from a post just inside the gate gestured for them to come forward. The Doctor took Rose's hand and jerked his head for her to move forward.

Rose gawked up at the large metal and wooden gate as they walked under it. The Doctor tugged on her hand to keep her moving. As they stepped inside the order was given to lower the gate. Rose covered her ears as the gates lowered into place just behind her. She glared at the gate, did it have to be so loud?

As the Doctor walked closer to the guard, he stopped him.

"Halt."

The guard uniform had changed since the last time he was here. The city colors this time around were crimson and gold, instead of the former imperial family's colors of purple and silver. His eyes scanned the armor for the signs of the old imperial crest, a planet being pierced by a sword. This crest was different, yet because of the light on the armor he could not see it clearly.

Rose had to force down a gasp when she got close enough to these men. They were of an alien race, but from distance one wouldn't think so. They were humanoid in shape, built much like humans were. Only they were taller, about 6'5 on average, more strongly built with harder lines and body curves than humans. These…people had hands with long fingers with what looked like claws instead of fingernails. Rose noticed that they had pointed ears, like someone out of a fantasy novel. But that was not the strangest part. Much like their home planet, these people were colorful. No, really!

Though they had normal looking skin pigmentation, Rose noticed that every creature seemed to have a unique under tone that in some lights stood out more than others. Such as the guard who stopped them seemed to have a crimson-orange skin undertone. To Rose, it made him look like an exotic lizard! Their hair was given the same highlights of as their skin, making the natural colors of their hair (or what seemed natural to Rose) seemed bland in comparison. Some even had hair that was entirely shaded that color, now whether that was natural or not, Rose could not tell. But the most shocking was the eyes. Every person had uniquely colored eyes. These colors expanded beyond the normal light range and color palate that Rose had never seen before. There were colors and shades that she could find no name for.

Rose swallowed hard as she tried not to stare too much, turning around to stare up at the battlements. Even doing that Rose felt odd, she was sure vertigo would soon set in from staring too much at such a high, vertical structure. Well, it was better to stare in awe of the architecture than stare at the natives and get herself and the Doctor in trouble!

"What is the purpose, sir, of you and your _wife__'__s_—" the guard nodded to Rose. At the guard's use of the word, 'wife' Rose whipped her head around, a surprised, amused look on her face, "—Visit to the Imperial Capital City?" The Doctor turned to look at Rose; her face had turned into a blank, neutral expression. It was her best attempt to keep from laughing; it nearly made him laugh.

"We're just passing through. Right…_honey_?" said the Doctor, reaching out and taking Rose's hand. She leaned against him, wrapping her spare arm around his waist as he did the same to her. Rose giggled, her peripheral vision on the Doctor as she straightened her spine and said,

"That's right! We're on our honeymoon!" She felt him stiffen beside her as a slight flush came across his face, yet his face did not react to her words. Instead he kissed her hair and whispered,

"I'll get you for that later." Rose's face now ached from grinning so much, as she flushed, wondering what he was planning as revenge. The Doctor watched as the guard surveyed them for a moment, then smiled. They must have looked like a newly, glowing bridal couple because he said,

"Well, congratulations. But we still have to search you." The guard gestured for two more guards to come over. The smile dropped from the Doctor's face. Now he knew something was wrong! Though the Time Lords dropped their treaty with Andorra, the aging king at the time decided he'd follow the treaty's clauses causing the civil war. The common people and some level headed gentry siding with the proposals of the treaty. Meaning the majority of the peerage would be disbanded and wealth spread evenly amongst the people with a semi-capitalist economy in place of the ancient Feudalism system that had been in place for centuries.

While many of the peerage, which included the younger generation, demanded the old ways be kept. (Especially since the five percent could stay ridiculously wealthy, which these young people were due to inherit!) The Crown Prince himself sided against his own father! He had thought that civil war would end on the side of the common folk! He'd thought this harsh Imperial, Feudalism State regime was dead! Had the king's other descendents not followed his example? The last he heard of Andorra, the Crown Prince died in battle. The king commanded major changes throughout the planet. That everything was improving dramatically. What in Rassilon's name went wrong?

"That's not necessary. We're not carrying any weapons," said the Doctor gently, pulling Rose closer to him. The head guard gave him an apologetic look as his comrades were setting up hand held scanners.

"Sorry sir, this is a command of the Emperor-King himself. Every visitor to the city must be searched, citizen and foreigner alike." The Doctor frowned, so the Imperial monarchy was still in place? The king at the time said that at his death a Parliament like government would rule for the people. Had the king's next eldest son changed his mind after his father's death and continued the monarchy up to the present time? Or had something like Britain's constitutional monarchy been installed with the royal family and the peerage gaining minimal power over state affairs? He had so many questions; he had to get to the bottom of this!

"So, your only purpose here is your honeymoon? No family or friends here?" The guard began to circle them, shooting questions at them. With a gentle pressure on her hand, Rose knew the Doctor was telling her to let him do the talking. With that she agreed and stayed silent, trying to keep herself as calm as possible.

"Any trading?" The Doctor scratched the back of his head trying to see if he could hurry this up. He was starting to regret bringing Rose here, hell, it would have been better to bring her to 1914 in Russia or 1778 in France if she wanted to see something similar to home. Hell, how about Nazi Germany in 1938? The questions were not threatening, but the Doctor felt very much threatened. This kind of questioning was exactly like the kind he encountered on his last visit. The State controlling everything and everyone who came and went on this planet!

"No…" sighed the Doctor for what seemed to be the hundredth time. Out of the corner of his eye he watched as the guards ran the scanner up and down Rose's thin form. Rose shot him a look, as if airport security these days wasn't bad enough?

"The misses is clean." Rose took a hesitant step back as they scanned the Doctor. He was clean but for the screech the scanner gave off when they detected his Sonic Screwdriver. The guard reached into his breast pocket and pulled it out.

"What the hell is this?" The Doctor held out his hand for it after the guards gave it a quick scan before returning it to their leader.

"Just an all-purpose tool, now if I can—" The Doctor snatched it quickly out of the commander's hand, but the guard stopped him. He clamped down hard on the Doctor's arm; he winced. He forgot these Andorrans had twice the strength of normal humans! As a Time Lord, his injuries wouldn't be so bad, but if one of these men grabbed Rose's arm as hard as they were holding his. Her arm would snap in two like a twig in seconds!

"Uh…honey!" cried Rose, slowly moving forward, unwilling to give them away by saying his name. The Doctor winced in pain again as one of the guards who scanned the screwdriver confirmed it was harmless. The commander then flushed with embarrassment as he quickly let him go. The Doctor flexed his arm and wrist; nothing was broken, just severely bruised. He slipped the screwdriver into his trench coat pocket as he shot the guard a hard look. The commander flushed, he looked away, embarrassed.

"Forgive me sir. I truly thought that was a weapon. Our king cares deeply for the safety of his subjects." The Doctor relaxed, maybe he was wrong. Maybe he was too over critical due to his past experiences here. The commander seemed deeply upset for his mistake. The Doctor smiled; maybe he needed a change in attitude! Take a leaf out of Rose's book, try to see the best in everyone. It was she who had 'befriended' a Dalek after all!

"That's okay. I shouldn't have reacted so quickly." The commander relaxed as he stepped back to let them pass, smiling,

"Thank you, I hope you enjoy your stay at the Imperial Capital City and once again many happy returns on your marriage." The Doctor smiled at the guard as he took Rose's hand. Rose gave the commander a smile and nod as she passed him. Once out of earshot, she poked the Doctor in the ribs.

"Like the conditions before the French and Russian Revolutions, huh? Those blokes seemed pretty nice to me! Oooh, they're bad men aren't they? Real shoo-in candidates for the SS or the Gestapo don't cha think?" she asked, sarcasm dripping from every word. The Doctor rolled his eyes as he looked down at his companion. So, he judged Andorra too quickly, thinking this planet was still harboring its old ways, sue him! He made mistakes.

"Okay, Rose, I judged too hastily, but if you saw this place centuries ago," he shivered just thinking about the pain and suffering he saw, "You wouldn't be so quick to say this place is just peachy!"

As they passed through several more large gates, they reached the Gate Square. The Doctor felt himself smile and relax just a little bit more, things had definitely changed here. The last time he was here, the lower ninety-five percent lived in slums while the upper five percent lived in the Noble's Villa, the glittering fortress that still loomed over the main city.

The main city had changed dramatically. Cute, almost fairytale-like cottages, apartments and stores lined the streets. The atmosphere was lively and cheerful as people went about their business as usual. The native people seemed very happy and content to the hopelessness he had seen the last time. Species of different planets were everywhere; clearly the State wasn't holding back foreigners as they had. Rose raised an eyebrow at him, her expression clearly gloating in manner. He only shrugged his shoulders as he looked at her.

So Andorra had changed for the better, well, good for them! He always liked to see change for the better. Yet the uneasy feeling was still nagging at him, there was something not right. Unseen for the most part, but to well trained eyes; one could spot the underlying tension. He hoped he was wrong but with his experiences, the more perfect the place seemed, the more trouble and suffering was underneath, waiting to burst forth at the right time…


	4. Chapter 4

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**Chapter 3: City of Catalonia**

"Welcome to the Imperial Capital City of Andorra. Catalonia." said the Doctor, smiling down at his companion. He watched with amusement as Rose stared. Her brown eyes were wide with wonder. It had never seemed to stop amazing her how beautiful, different and odd other civilizations lived. Hell, even when things changed over centuries on earth, Rose was still impressed.

The stores and houses that lined the cobbled streets were something out of a storybook her mum used to read to her as a kid. They were made of wood and stone; the woods were brightly colored which made the woods stand out against the earth colored stones. Every house seemed to have one stained glass window. On a large clock tower over the main square was a large crimson and gold banner with an image of the city on a large shield with an elaborate sword just across the shield. It was as if the sword was protecting the city.

The Doctor's eyebrow raised; so that was the crest of the Imperial family now? Well, it was a lot better than a sword being stabbed into the heart of the planet, that's for sure. Rose turned to look at him, seeing the odd expression on his face she squeezed his hand.

"Are you okay?" she asked, the Doctor looked down at her. The odd look vanished as his eyes went soft.

"I'm fine. It's just the last time I was here the Imperial family's crest was uh…disturbing to say the least. This one is much better, I guess it reflects the new status of the planet and it's royal family." Rose tilted her head to one side, how could a family crest be disturbing? She'd never seen one on earth that freaked her out!

"What kind of crest?" she asked, her eyes darting between the banner and the Doctor. He leaned over and whispered in her ear,

"A sword stabbing a planet." Rose then pulled a look of disgust and shivered. That must have struck fear into the hearts of many.

"You're right. This is much better," she said flatly, as her eyes traveled up the steep; winding roads up towards the upper parts of the city. It seemed the farther up one went the more beautiful the architecture was. The best way Rose could describe it was the lower cottages were German style. The upper halves of the lower quarters were a mix between Victorian and French style apartments and houses.

After she took in the picturesque town, her eyes were immediately drawn to the glittering fortress that loomed over of the majority of the city. The inner wall was made of a stone that she could only described as a mix between marble and silver, at the right angle the wall could blind someone! The large wrought iron and gold gate reminded her of the gates in front of Buckingham Palace. It was a beautiful sight to behold; it would amaze any visitor to this city. Yet her stomach flipped with uneasy tension, the vision. The glimmering silver wall…blood…screaming…Rose clenched her fists and she stamped her foot. The Doctor stared at her, one eyebrow raised in a silent question.

Rose flushed as she quickly moved to the center the square, trying to vanish her unease. Her stomach kept turning over, as the vision flashed through her head. She made her way towards the left of the Gate Square. She had no idea where she was going as she made her way up the cobbled roads. The Doctor leisurely followed behind her, his hands in his pockets.

"Do you know where you are going?" he called out from behind her, Rose turned to look at him, stopping. She found herself going towards another, larger square. It seemed like a marketplace, it was loud and numerous people of all different species were everywhere. Rose sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair, covering her face with her hands. What was she doing? Those visions were not real! Get over it!

"No…" said Rose softly, bashfully lowering her head to hide her blush as the Doctor appeared at her side, watching her with concerned eyes. She sighed and looked up at him, "I'm just…uh…Never mind," she muttered. The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her. Rose was always got flustered when she did something she did not want others to see. She was a runner, running away from those awkward moments. He took her hand and guided her through the crowds towards the marketplace.

From this vantage point the silver wall seemed bigger. The Doctor watched Rose's eyes widen even more. The Doctor followed her eyes, a slight frown on his face. The Noble's Villa had not changed either; it was still as blinding and gaudy as it was before. A place to him that was evil, well, that once had been evil. The gold and wrought iron gates were closed from the regular population; that had not changed either. Nor had the fact that it was guarded 24/7, he could see that. So the nobility and royalty was still cut off from the normal population? What had truly changed on this planet? He just wondered if the nobles' population had dropped. Please, please!

"What's that?" Rose asked, trying to get her mind off the vision, pointing to the silver wall. The buildings that peeked over the wall seemed more decorative and beautiful than the quaint cottages around her. Rose could see a mix of the palace of Versailles and Tsarskoe Selo in Russia. It was very beautiful and decorative, but when it was beautiful on earth. Here, it was just a little too gaudy. She should know!

The Doctor took her to visit the court of Catherine the Great, since Rose was bored one afternoon and wanted to see something amazing on earth. The expansive palace impressed her. Hell, they even met Catherine herself! Let's just say the Tsarina was enchanted by the Doctor and thought Rose was an absolute darling that she said before her whole court she wished she had a daughter like Rose. Yet the downside to the trip was that all the men of Catherine's court flirted so endlessly with Rose that the Doctor kept her beside him the whole time, sending spine chilling looks at every perverted stare the men sent her way.

As her eyes traveled upward she felt vertigo come over her again as she came upon the crowning glory of the city. Looming over the city, even more impressive than the silver wall, its beautiful gate and Baroque styled architecture was a large palace. Rose tilted her head to the side, it reminded her of a castle out of a fairytale book. Rose couldn't put her finger on what type of palaces it reminded her of on earth. Yet, it seemed like a mix of all the most extravagant palaces on earth; that was the best she could come up with.

"That is called the Noble's Villa," the Doctor said coldly, his eyes flashing. Rose turned to look at him, a confused look on her face. It sounded like something that one would come across when visiting Italy. Rose's eyes took in the detailed architecture and the wealth of design. She guessed this was where the upper crust of this society lived. She wondered if all the planet's nobility lived here or only just a small portion.

"So only the peerage live there?" she asked, pointing to the gaudy buildings in the distance. The Doctor shrugged that was more or less correct. He searched for an analogy that would make sense to her.

"It's much like Versailles at its height," Rose was still staring up at the Noble's Villa, but her brow furrowed as she frowned. Any mention of Versailles around her and she did that. It was all due to that one time her Doctor ran off with Madame de Pompadour! Luckily he did not notice, "All of the nobility and the royal family live there." Rose raised an eyebrow, all the nobility live there? It seemed like so small a space even when one followed the miles of silver wall around the entire city.

"All of the nobility? How many noble families are on this planet?" she asked, her voice rising slightly in shock. She had seen Versailles, the Doctor had literally dragged her there once during her own time. Versailles was large but she wondered even then how that many people could live in such a small space? Maybe it was bigger on the inside? Like the TARDIS? The Doctor tilted his head to the side, his tongue sticking out slightly between his teeth. His long fingers silently counting out the amount of noble families he had heard of the last time.

"About…thirty give or take. It's not the largest amount there could be compared to noble families on earth," he said, shaking his left hand side to side to give her a visual that could be more or less the correct number, "But since the civil war here, there could be even less than that or more. Who knows? The other thing is that only the nobility and royal families can live there. No one, and I mean no one, from the lower classes or foreigners go into the Noble's Villa unless commanded by the king or if there is a special celebration, but those in itself are rare occasions."

Rose looked up at the Nobles Villa again; a laugh bubbling up to her lips. She was afraid of a shiny wall and a bunch of dressed up prissy nobles? Rose imagined nobles much like a Versailles, a sly smile lit up her face. Ha! How could she be worried about that? With a smile, she forced herself to relax and shoved the visions to the back of her mind once again.

"Well, that's a pity. I'd like to see it. But if that's the way things go—Wait a minute, there was a civil war?" Rose looked away from the Noble's Villa to look at the Doctor. When had this civil war taken place? As she looked around her everyone seemed so happy and at ease. The signs of civil war had vanished long ago. Maybe this civil war had taken place years, maybe, even centuries ago. The Doctor saw the question in her eyes; he looped her arm through his as he turned her away from the Noble's Villa.

"Come on, let's walk," Rose's eyebrow rose in another question, his smile widened, "I'll explain. This planet was once very corrupt. The nobility and the royal family controlled most of the planet's wealth. Again, I use the history of Russia's and France's nobility and royal families to explain. Remember how the French and Russian Revolutions started due to the people rising up due to the changes in the economy, class, new ideas and war?" Rose nodded; she remembered this from history class. They had a whole section on revolutions including when America broke away from the Crown.

"Yes, the royal families and the nobility of both countries controlled the country's wealth. Both France and Russia were under a Feudalism system of a sort. Due to the lack of food and circling wealth along with other factors, the people revolted." The Doctor smiled as he tapped a finger on Rose's nose, she giggled.

"Exactly. Well, imagine many of those circumstances here. Ninety-five percent of the population is dirt poor. The nobility and royalty are corrupt, using and killing innocent people at will. Charging heavy taxes, the poor distribution of food, and whole bunch of other factors played towards the civil war. Yet the breaking point had been the treaty with Gallifrey." Rose frowned, how was that the breaking point?

"How? Gallifrey was just trying to help right?" The Doctor nodded, Rose's eyes strayed a few times to look at what people were selling. The Doctor rolled his eyes as he shook his head. He was going to get dragged on a shopping spree soon wasn't he?

"Yes, but these Andorran nobles are very, very proud. They do not like to see things they are in charge of messed with. The people they rule over, what they import, export, who they allow on the planet, etc. Everything was controlled, from the top down. Yet they lacked several very valuable resources Gallifrey had. Thus the treaty."

Rose nodded, it sounded like something that she had studied about in history and economics. That when one resource was needed by another country, or in this case a planet, they would exchange goods with a planet who had it.

"So in return for the resources they needed, Gallifrey demanded that the Andorran government treat its people better?" The Doctor nodded, Rose caught on quick.

"Right. We did not trade with planets who mistreated their own people, in any form. The old king at the time was willing to listen. His sons had been fighting for years over the throne and the crown's vast wealth. The king knew that for centuries the corruption and greed of his nobles and his own ancestors had, at times, damned his planet. Many other planets, kingdoms, federations, wanted nothing to do with Andorra since it was so corrupt not only with its own people but with the people they did business with. In order to allow his planet to prosper, the king listened to the proposed ideas by Gallifrey. The major ideas would limit the power of the king and put the majority of the power into something like Parliament—" he said leading Rose into his next statement, which she finished for him.

"That way his planet could trade more, his people would live better lives, the nobles would have less power and he no longer had to worry about his sons fighting for the throne because it would not be all powerful." The Doctor smiled down at Rose, nodding with each relevant point Rose made.

"Yes, yes! Fantastic Rose! You got it! The king tried to implement these new ideas by forming a Parliament much like Britain, a portion with the nobles—"

"—Like the House of Lords," Rose cut in smiling up at him, the Doctor nodded again,

"—And a portion to give the common people a voice,"

"—The House of Commons!" interrupted Rose again, grinning widely. She was now starting to understand how all this was coming together! Clever, clever Doctor!

"Absolutely, my dear Rose! The king wanted to limit his own power and ordered a tax on the nobles, something that never had been done before! Three months after the new government got underway, the Crown Prince declared war against his father, feeling that he was being stripped of his birthright. The majority of the army and the nobles followed his lead while a few nobles and the common people sided with the king. The civil war lasted for five years, during which the king was victorious after killing his own son…"

"So…things are better now because of that?" asked Rose as they stopped, surveying the happy, cheerful atmosphere around them. To Rose it seemed like the civil war had favored the people, everyone seemed so happy. The Doctor frowned, yes it sure looked that way, but looks could be deceiving.

"Honestly, things look that way. Yet, things may not be as they seem Rose." Rose nodded, that was true. How many civilizations or planets did they come upon that seemed nice and normal only to find they were hiding quite a few dirty secrets under the rug? Her eyes strayed away, her brown eyes brightening at the wears that people were selling. Who wanted to talk about politics and war? They were supposed to be having fun!

"Let's stop with the boring politics, shall we? Let's go shopping!" she cried, a smile gracing her face, her eyes lighting up. The Doctor chuckled as he agreed,

"Alright, let's go." He then mentally prepared himself to being pulled left and right by Rose. Much to his surprise, Rose went at a slower pace today, not yanking the Doctor's arm along with her. Yet as hours passed, he wondered if it was safer to not have one's arm yanked about for about thirty minutes or be dragged along over hours and hours.

After two hours passed, Rose had her fill of shopping. Surprisingly, she bought only a few dresses that seemed like something out of a Jane Austen novel. Rose kept popping out to model the dresses each was made of light material of beautiful colors.

"My, my, Rose. I think I need to take you to 1820, you could easily fit in." Rose crinkled her nose at him, smiling her usual smile. Spinning on the spot, Rose finally turned to face him and then curtseyed to him saying,

"I thank you for your complement, sir," she said, giggling as the Doctor waved her onto the next dress. She also bought of few pieces of fine jewelry, asking the Doctor every few seconds to identify the stones, since many of them she did not recognize. He was more than happy to do so, putting on his glasses and making a scientific analysis of each gemstone.

"These are called The Stars, much like earth's star sapphires, but ten times more brilliant and they have numerous 'star' formations in them than single formations," he said, showing Rose the large shimmering gemstone, lavender in color with numerous glimmering star formations in the stone, "They are created by heat in meteorites falling to the planet's surface. Once it hits the ground the metals and rocks in the meteorite mix with the natural metals and rocks on the surface. The stone forms over several years, taking its color and number of 'star' formations from the deposits in the soil." Rose stuck her tongue out from between her teeth; each stone was beautiful with their own story, yet her head was spinning from each scientific explanation!

"Doctor, Doctor," she said coolly, stopping him mid-rant, "I just want to look at the shiny stones, I don't need a geology lesson." The Doctor ignored her and just continued on. Rose smiled as she continued to look as he continued to ramble on. Eventually she bought several pieces of jewelry.

"Come on, Doctor," said Rose, taking hold of the Doctor's arm as he was explaining the formation of a certain stone to one of the ladies selling the jewelry, he was putting her to sleep.

"Aww, come on Rose," he whined, as Rose pulled him along. Eventually he stopped whining when Rose turned to him and said,

"Your turn." He blinked as he looked at her, not understanding what she meant.

"What?"

"You pick something to do." The Doctor smiled at Rose as he leaned against the wall, thinking for several minutes. Suddenly he jumped up, clapping his hands, laughing.

"I've got it! I have an old friend who lives here—hopefully he's still living! You'd find him most amusing! He owns a bookstore on the upper right side of the city!" Rose took his hand and the two ran through the city, Rose swinging her shopping bags with ease.

"So did you know him during the civil war?" asked Rose, the Doctor turned back to look at her, smiling widely.

"Clever girl! Yes, he was part of an underground system of rebels who was trying to sabotage the Imperial forces! Quite clever blokes they all were." Rose laughed as the Doctor tried to remember the names of some of these gents, but mangled them horribly. Rose let go of his hand and raced forward, not even knowing if she was going in the right direction.

As she came around the corner, she heard a grunt. Rose turned around and nearly dropped her bags in shock. Rose gasped as she stared in horror; guards were beating a poor man senseless! The poor man was already bloodied and bruised, pleading between punches for mercy. These were the city guards! What were they doing? What was the man's crime? The guards just couldn't beat up people for no reason!

Were these guards drunk? They should be protecting people, not beating them to a bloody pulp! Rose felt her stomach flip flop maybe the Doctor was right, things may seem all well and good when things under the surface were…not so clean. With her Bad Wolf courage in hand, Rose moved forward to stop them. Before she took two steps, a pair of hands seized her and pulled her back behind the wall. Rose turned to see the Doctor was the one who pulled her back.

"Doctor? What are you doing? We have to—" The Doctor wrapped one arm around her, holding her struggling arms in a vice grip while the other was clamped tight over her mouth.

"Shh, they'll hear us!" _So,__ what?_ Thought Rose rolling her eyes. That never stopped them before! Why was he stopping her? That man needed help. After struggling uselessly for several seconds, she gave up. Rose tilted her head just right so she could see his face. She watched the Doctor's eyes narrowed; the Oncoming Storm was circling in his eyes, turning them dark.

"It seems that Andorra has not changed after all," he said softly. This is what he feared the most, he let his guard down for one moment and his worst fears came true. Everything he and Rose saw today was a façade, a lie to cover up the misery and poverty that was still inflicted on the majority of the population.


	5. Chapter 5

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Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it is owned by the lovely BBC!

**Chapter 4: Underneath Tranquility Lies Chaos**

If there was one thing the Doctor hated more than being an absolute failure and being a coward—was being wrong. Here was the proof that he had been dead wrong about Andorra. Everything he had seen today was a set up, made to look like that the government had changed its ways. How could he have not seen this? It was a façade, a mirage to trick other civilizations into thinking that Andorra had seen the light. Clearly it had not.

What happened? The Doctor knew he had to get to the bottom of this. The faster he could figure out what the situation was and how he could help, the faster he could get Rose away from here. Speaking of one Miss Rose Tyler, she had finally stopped struggling as she watched the beating with a look of horror on her face. He slowly loosened his grip on Rose, knowing by now she probably wasn't going to do anything stupid…yet. Just in case, he kept a tight grip on her wrist.

"This is horrible! We've got to do something!" Rose turned to look at him, her voice rising in panic. The Doctor held a finger to his lips and Rose lowered her voice, "How can you just stand there?" The Doctor slowly pulled Rose away to not attract attention. Rose watched in disbelief as people just walked right past the mugging and did nothing to stop it! Maybe the Doctor was right…

"This is not some random of act of violence Rose, oh no. This is deliberate intimidation," he said softly, turning Rose so that her back was against the wall. He leaned slightly over her as if they were having a flirty conversation, that way they did not draw attention to themselves. Rose rolled her eyes at the attempt, they were foreigners on this planet, they would attract attention one way or another.

"Intimidation from who? The guards?" The Doctor shook his head, his eyes flickering over every once and awhile towards the guards.

"No, the guards are under the pay of the nobles. Whatever these guys want, it probably has been ordered straight from the top." Rose frowned, her eyes flashing in anger, the man's cries echoing in her ears.

"Either way we have to help him," she said, trying to move around the Doctor to assist the man, she instantly found her way blocked. She gave him a glare as she tried to duck left and right to get away from him, eventually growling at him,

"How can you stand this? We have to help him! If he dies—" shouted Rose, pointing an accusing finger at him, baring her teeth like the Bad Wolf she felt she was. The Doctor's eyes flashed with momentary hurt as he met the eyes of his companion.

"They won't kill him, Rose. If they wanted to kill him they would have taken him outside the city in the dead of night. No, this is intimidation by show of force. Out in the open beatings show the common people not to mess with the guards or the nobility." Rose pointed towards the man, her hand shaking with anger.

"Look at him! They could kill him!" The Doctor leaned closer to her as several nervous citizens looked at them, Rose blushed as she backed against the wall.

"They won't. They probably want information from him and to scare people at the same time. Come on, Rose, I know you've heard or seen this before!" Rose glared, she had, but that did not mean they could just stand here and do nothing! She opened her mouth again to speak to find the Doctor's hand covering it. It was then Rose heard the man cry out in pain as she heard a bone-shattering crack as one of the guards shouted,

"You bastard! Tell us what you know!" Rose tilted her body sideways to see the guards deliver a hard kick to the man's stomach. Rose winced, he was covered in blood lying on the ground, panting for breath. His dark eyes filled with fear and pain.

"I-I told you! I-I do not know anything about the rebels!" Rose blinked at the man's statement, there were rebels still fighting against the government? Her eyes flickered upwards towards the Doctor, wondering what his reaction would be to all this. She watched for the critical signs, his eyes narrowed, he knew something. These rebels, did the Doctor work with them all those years ago? Since the civil war failed on the part of the people, were these rebels rising up again? Rose was reminded of the civil wars she studied in history class. Many revolutions got their start from underground rebels that the governments could not crush nor find.

"So, they're still active," said the Doctor in a low voice, a slight grin on his face. So, despite the centuries of tyrannical rule the rebels still managed to survive? How many of them were there? Were they well equipped? The Doctor was so deep in thought he did not see the murderous look in Rose's eyes.

"Liar!" roared one of the guards, kicking the man in the head. Rose swallowed down the bitter taste in her mouth as she heard the other guard's fist connect, the distinct sound of bones breaking rang in her ears. _That__'__s__ it_, she thought, glaring up at the Doctor, _If__ he __doesn__'__t __take __his __hand __off __my __mouth __in __ten __seconds, __I__'__ll __bite __him! _The Bad Wolf inside her was getting the better of her!

The man then cried out again in agony as one of the guards shouted,

"Tell me what you know!" Rose felt sick to her stomach, she had to do something, now! She was poised to bite the Doctor's hand when he released her. Seizing her chance she slammed his hand into the brick wall and ducked under his arm, giving him a grin as she passed.

"You were right," she said in a low voice, the Doctor waving his injured hand about, "This place isn't as great as it seems. You can stand here and do nothing, but I will do something!" The Doctor stopped mentally whining over his hand and his head snapped up. Rose's brown eyes were narrowed with anger and courage, glaring at him. As she turned around, she flipped her hair into his face. He knew she was serious, he could see it in her eyes, he reached out and grabbed her wrist. She turned to face him her eyes now narrow slits.

"We have to help him!" His instincts with her were right; she was going to be relentless until he explained why they were doing nothing! He had hoped to spare her the grizzly details on why he was protecting her. But now he had no choice. Before Rose could move towards the fight again, she felt herself being seized again. The Doctor pulled her back, pressing her against the wall.

"Doctor? What the hell?" She was instantly silenced by a look, a dark look from the Doctor. His grip tightened on her arms, she did not know how vile, how cruel these Imperial guards could get. He had seen friends die because of their brutality. These Imperial guards were right up there with the Gestapo and the Cheka. Cold, calculating, cruel, bloody, these guards could do more damage than a human gang fight could!

"You don't want to get involved," he said coolly, Rose struggled against him, glaring at him.

"Why? What could they do to little old me, hmmm?" The Doctor's eyes narrowed as he looked over to see the guards each take one last good swing at the man and left him bleeding on the ground. One of the guards spat on him as the other commented,

"It's clear he either knows nothing or won't talk. Think about what we said you scum!" The guards started to walk up the street, towards where the Doctor and Rose stood; they both froze in fear. As the guards got close, they noticed Rose and the Doctor. The two quickly looked away before they were seen staring. Out of the corner of his eye, the Doctor saw the guards watching them with suspicion. One of the guard's hands moved towards a gun on his belt, his yellow eyes narrowing.

"Always suspicious of foreigners huh? Things never change," the Doctor muttered under his breath. Freeing one of Rose's arms, thankfully she was too fearful to strike at him or say a word, he tilted her chin upwards. He had to make the guards go away, he had to make them think they were not spying. The guards removed their guns from their belts, Rose's eyes went wide for a moment before the Doctor pulled her face upward to look at him.

"What are you two doing there?" demanded one of the guards, slapping his gun against his hand. Clearly he was threatening them. Rose's pallor dropped, her eyes fixed on the gun. She grabbed the lapels of the Doctor's trench coat, were they going to shoot them in broad daylight? Rose's head spun with numerous images of corrupt guards beating and shooting people for no reason, oh God, they were going to die. Rose felt the Doctor pull her close to him, turning her just slightly away from the guards.

When she looked up at him, his brown eyes were dancing with mischief. He gave her a wink, turning to the guards, looking indignant. Rose tightened her grip, what was he going to do? Hopefully not piss them off! She didn't think she could run with her bum knees!

"Oi! Can't a bloke snog his new wife without people getting in the way?" Rose then stiffened, oh, we were using that excuse, were we? Rose flushed as a bashful look came across her face as she murmured,

"Honey…" Promptly burying her face into his suit jacket, to hide her smile as she played along with him. Rose was able to control her smile as she looked up to see the guards staring dumbly at them. The hostility long gone from their faces, their guns had fallen useless to their sides. Rose bit her lip to stop from laughing.

"This is the third time today one of you, gentlemen, has interrupted us! Sheesh, we come here for our honeymoon and we get stalked like common criminals. Gee, sweetheart, maybe we should have stayed home, then we'd be stalked by your mother than these blokes!"

Rose gave a smile as she blushed fiercely, her mind turning that scenario over in her head. She nearly started to laugh madly at the thought of her mum, chasing her and the Doctor around some country cottage, spying on them on their supposed 'honeymoon'. Rose could barely even imagine her mum's reaction if she and the Doctor had turned up one day with rings on their fingers saying they were married!

Her mum would promptly chase the Doctor around the flat, trying to kill him!

The Doctor then glared at the guards, as he waited for an explanation. The guards' embarrassment soon faded as they pointed their guns at them again. Well, that was quick! The Doctor pulled Rose closer, ready to shield her if they fired on them.

"You should be on your way. This is no place for…" One of the guards looked over his shoulder as the beaten man staggered to his feet. After stumbling for several steps, several of the man's friends appeared, quickly grabbing his legs and torso, carrying him to a nearby house. With the slam of the door, very slowly, the dead street took on activity, "Foreigners."

"Cowards," Rose spat under her breath. The Doctor raised an eyebrow as he looked at the guards, then at their guns. Villagers shuffled past them quickly, giving them looks of pity and sadness as they passed.

"You know what? I'm just going to ignore you lot then," said the Doctor coolly, turning to face Rose, tilting her chin upwards.

"Doctor?" mouthed Rose, he winked at her again and kissed her full on the mouth.

Roes tried to not look shocked, he was after all pretending to be her husband. Rose then closed her eyes, pulling him closer by her tight grip on his lapels, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him harder. She heard several citizens whistle or give shouts as they walked by. Rose couldn't help but think of earth, whenever someone kissed in public, you were bound to attract attention from passersby!

To complete the façade, the Doctor lifted her off the ground for several seconds before returning her safely to the ground. Rose grinned under the kiss; well they had to make it look real right? The Doctor pulled away, grinning to see Rose's cheekbones covered in a rosy blush. When she opened her eyes she grinned up at him and mouthed,

"Wow!" He winked at her again as he looked at the guards. Clearly the little display had worked because they holstered their guns and muttered their apologies. The Doctor smugly watched them pass and disappear down the road. He then looked at Rose a grin on his face; she was still red in the face.

"We showed them!" Rose smiled up at him, the hostility gone from her eyes

"Well congratulations, Doctor. Thank goodness we avoided that fight. And I dare say, the person who taught you to kiss like that deserves brownie points," she said coolly, a grin on her face as she poked him in the shoulder. The Doctor gave a nervous laugh as silence then came between them. Rose was now unwilling to speak to him now because he had ensured that she, once again, was no longer angry with him. He cleared his throat to get her attention.

"As I was saying before we were…so rudely interrupted. Those guards are very, very dangerous Rose. They will not hesitate to arrest, punish or even kill anyone who interferes," Rose's eyes widened slightly at his words, now he had her attention. "In earth terms think of the Gestapo from Nazi Germany, the Cheka from the Russian Revolution, who are the beginnings of the KGB, think of those horrible organizations rolled into one. That is the Imperial guard. I have seen them kill people for no reason at all, just because they were there and in the way. They enforce the regime of the Imperial family."

"What was that rebel stuff all about?" she asked, knowing what the answer could be, she wanted to hear it from him.

"During the civil war there was an underground group of rebels who dealt the Imperial army so many major blows. If they are still around, the Imperial guards are under orders to kill anyone they think are rebels or are helping the rebels, especially foreigners. Here, there can be no trial, no judge, no jury, just a simple execution. It does not matter who they take down, guilty or innocent. Remember when that guard grabbed me earlier?" Rose gave a brief nod as he pulled down his sleeve. Rose winced at the purple and black bruises on his wrist. They did that to him? Her eyes widened in fear as he watched her thought process circle in her eyes.

"If they did that to me, a Time Lord, imagine what they can do to you. A human." He watched her eyes grow wide, her eyes darting back and forth between his wrist and where the man had once been. Rose's pallor dropped significantly, the pads of her fingertips running over the bruise on his wrist.

"Why—why didn't you tell me you were hurt?" The Doctor rolled his eyes, Rose, always worrying about others before herself. Her eyes were still fearfully latched onto his wrist that he gently tilted her chin upward.

"That's why I stopped you Rose. They could've killed you in an instant, it's best at times to stay back, in order to fight another day," Rose's eyes scanned his face, his eyes were soft now, "Unless you humans have gained tougher bone structures over the past century?" A light flash of humor danced over his eyes, Rose gave him a small smile.

"So neither of us could have taken them on? There was nothing we could do?" The Doctor tapped Rose's nose softly saying,

"Right on the nose. You nor I have the strength to fight them off. Besides we'd probably get a long, long prison sentence for interfering in Imperial matters." Rose sadly looked at the ground, her anger was now long gone. Only sadness and pity remained in its place.

"But why not take him in for questioning? Like a civilized planet? Why just beat him in the streets?" The Doctor gently brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes.

"Once again, to make a point, publicly. Rose, you know humans have done just as much to each other for centuries." Rose felt herself blush as she stared down at her trainers. He was right, humans had done unspeakable things to each other for centuries. Why then did it surprise her to see alien civilizations do the same? Was it because she expected them to be more civilized than humans? She just did not know.

"Your historical analogy is off, Doctor," she said softly, he raised a quizzical eyebrow at her.

"Do tell, Miss Tyler," he said, tilting her chin upward again. Rose's eyes gave a mischievous spark.

"It sounds like this place is a mix of Communist Russia and Nazi Germany. Controlling the planet's image, doing things behind the scenes…that's what it sounds like to me." The Doctor had to hand it to Rose at times, there were days where she was right on target.

"I guess I have to change my analogy then. You're right, Soviet and Nazi propaganda showed the world how peaceful and happy their people were. When in reality unspeakable things were happening because the government allowed it. I guess one should add, since this is a monarchy, that ancient monarchies, had the power to do anything. Control and kill at a single command. That is what this place is like all rolled into one. Only ten times worse."

A soft wind blew through them, Rose shivered violently as if it had been an arctic wind. The sense of dread came over her again, she wanted nothing more than to get back to the TARDIS and go home. Rose felt the Doctor place an arm around her shoulders.

"Are you okay? I hope I didn't frighten you too much." Rose, not trusting herself to speak, merely shook her head and gave him a smile. Rose slipped her hand into his, the lingering fear slowly fading away again.

"Come on, let's go." Rose gave a slight nod, she didn't dare look back at the place where the man had been beaten, fearing she'd be sick. Luckily they had to make their way north then a sharp turn to the west, deeper into the city.

"Are we going to see your friend?" she asked, the Doctor nodded.

"If there is anyone in this city I truly trust, it would be him. Hopefully he can tell us what the heck is going on." Rose blinked, what was he planning?

"Are you going to help the rebels?" she asked softly, the Doctor looked down at her and smiled. That little smile made her smile, her eyes lighting up.

"We'll see if they need any help." Rose then leaned in against his arm, feeling much better. At least they were going to try and help the people of this planet. Hopefully this old friend of the Doctor's had the information…they were…looking for…Rose then paused, her mind whirling. The Doctor had told her he had been here centuries ago and if he had known this old friend from that time then…how old was he?

"Doctor?"

"Hmm?" Rose licked her lips as she was ready to ask this stupid question. Surely she would learn these things by now?

Humans got the short end of the stick.

"How long can Andorrans live for?"

"Well, that depends on your social situation. Common folk live about between 400-600 years give or take. Nobility…about 700-800 years, depending on much luxury they did not partake in." Rose's jaw dropped, these people lived that long? She looked down at her own hands and she thought living to her nineties was a good, long life. The Doctor chuckled at Rose's shocked expression. He looped his fingers through hers nonchalantly.

"What? You thought Time Lords were the only species throughout the universe that lived such a long life? Nah, there's thousands of species that can live for centuries!" Rose frowned, why was the universe so unfair to humans?


	6. Chapter 6

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Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it is owned by the lovely BBC!

**Chapter 5: An Old Friend**

"Ha! Here we are!" cried the Doctor, pointing up at a large sign swinging over a simple looking shop. Rose smirked up at the sign; it had a strange form of writing on the wooden sign. Yet it was obvious from the items in the window that it was a bookstore. The books were numerous, old and new, with old looking scrolls lying in plain view in the window. Rose crinkled her nose; of course, the Doctor's old friend would own a bookstore.

"Cute shop," said Rose simply, looking over her shoulder at the Doctor, he merely smiled at her. He then yanked open the door, gesturing for Rose to go inside before him, "Thank you, kind sir." A wider smiled appeared on her face as she stepped inside, the Doctor following her.

It was a very small shop, but books covered every single amount of space that was available. Shelves and book carts were everywhere, stacked to an almost ridiculous amount of books and scrolls. Rose was sure that if someone sneezed, some of the book selves would collapse. A bell suddenly rang loudly, making Rose jump a few feet into the air. She whirled around to see the Doctor had rung a bell on the front desk.

"Sorry." Rose scowled at him, there were days she could swear that he was going to give her a heart attack one day. She was pretty sure it would come from something small like ringing that damn bell! Rose shook her head as her eyes scanned the titles of the books, many were written in languages she did not know. She pulled a book off one of the shelves and rubbed the dust away.

The title itself was enough to make her head spin, the language seemed to be made of odd symbols and strokes, to Rose it was a mass of symbols. Rose snapped the book shut and put it back on the shelf gently. A sudden noise made her turn, from behind a red curtain came an old man, leaning heavily on a cane.

The old man wore simple clothing but over that he wore a traditional librarian's robe. His hair was cut short and glasses were perched on the edge of his nose. The undertones of his skin and hair were amber. When the old man looked up, his eyes were amber, just a little bit brighter than his skin. Upon seeing them, the old man pulled an odd look as he shuffled up to the desk. The Doctor grinned back at Rose, then move forward.

"Welcome, what kind of books are you folks looking for?" he asked kindly, his eyes looking the Doctor up and down. The Doctor leaned against the desk, grinning madly as he said,

"We're here to see you, Ion Kael." The old man, Ion, blinked in surprise at the Doctor knowing his name. Rose smiled at the man's name, it sounded very scientific, she wondered what the names of the locals were. Quickly his amber eyes narrowed as he leaned towards the Doctor, surveying him.

"Who are you? How do you know my name?" The Doctor grinned at Ion as he said something that to Rose sounded like a poem,

"'As the old trees are killed and felled…'"

"'…the saplings shall spring forth!'" Ion finished for the Doctor, his eyes lighting up, "Doctor!" The Doctor nodded, as Ion moved around the front desk and gave the Doctor a hard hug.

"It's good to see you too, Ion." Ion pulled away to survey him; he began to circle the Doctor. Rose watched with amusement as the Doctor turned to look at her giving her thumbs up. After a few moments Ion stopped in front of the Doctor, looking at him then tapping his cane. A grin lit up on Ion's face.

"Still have that scar over your eye from when the Imperial guards gave us that surprise attack at Ordino?" The Doctor lifted up his bangs to show Ion, shaking his head.

"Nope," he said grinning, giving the 'p' a distinct pop, "Every new regeneration—"

"—A new form, I remember," grunted Ion, shaking his head grinning up at him, "You Gallifreyans were always an odd type." The Doctor let go of his bangs, shrugging his shoulders.

"Every species has its quirks." He turned to look at Rose and winked at her. Rose rolled her eyes, what were the quirks of humans? Stupidity? Stubborn courage?

"Still have that noisy thing with you…what was it…the Tar—Tar—that damn blue box!" snapped Ion, leaning against the front desk. The Doctor grinned as he rocked back and forth on his heels.

"Yes, I still have the TARDIS." Ion rolled his eyes. That damn blue box was an amazing piece of machinery all right. But the damn thing was noisy and bright blue! It does not help when one's craft is bright blue when you are trying to sneak up on the enemy.

"Well I hope you changed the color. That damn ship of yours nearly got us killed the last time." The Doctor shook his head, his grin becoming larger as his eyes gained a new spark. Ion groaned, the Doctor never changed, at times that was wonderful and at other times annoying.

"Well you should! The gods only know how many times you've gotten into trouble from that bright blue thing!" scolded Ion, shaking his cane at the Doctor. The Doctor blinked, Rose had to stifle a laugh, she was sure he was not used to being scolded as such.

"The TARDIS is just fine the way she is! You don't change anything about a long time partner and friend. Even the color. She shall remain blue until the end of time, Ion. The TARDIS and I are partners until the end, Ion, I told you that!" Ion chuckled, there were times when that crazy Time Lord spoke about that damn machine as if it was his wife! Not his ship!

"Honestly, Doctor, there are times I wonder if that thing is your wife, and not your space ship!" The Doctor's eyebrows rose, Rose turned away as she covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking with outrageous, silent laughter. It was probably not the first time nor the last he'd be accused of such a thing! Rose then remembered the conversation she had with Sarah Jane and her laughter doubled!

The Doctor's eyes then went dark with sadness,

"The TARDIS is one of the few things I have left of my home world, Ion. She's as good as home, to me…" he said softly, Rose heard the sad tone in his voice and her laughter died in her throat. She turned to see the Doctor looking away from Ion, his brown eyes now black, black as the deepest reaches of space. Rose hesitantly reached forward and rested a hand on his shoulder. He jumped slightly at her touch and looked at her. Her eyes conveyed all the words she could not say, the darkness in his eyes faded slightly, as he looped an arm around her shoulders in thanks. Ion's eyes softened.

He saw the changes in the Doctor's eyes, the way they faded to a place and time that was no longer here. His eyes held more sadness than he had seen in centuries. More sorrow, pain, anger, hate…so many emotions that swirled in his eyes, some made a shiver run down his spine. What horrors had the poor Doctor seen since he last saw him? The whole universe heard and felt the effects of the Time Wars. Many planets, kingdoms, Republics, nations, etc, mourned the loss of Gallifrey, a shining star among planets. When Ion heard that Gallifrey had been uttered obliterated along with its people, he mourned for them…many of his rebel friends did…

"I heard about Gallifrey, Doctor," said Ion softly, looking down at the floor. The loss of his home planet, his people, to bear that loss alone…Ion could not even fathom it! How did he keep his sanity? "Many of us mourned for Gallifrey, secretly of course, but we all agreed we wished we could have helped." The Doctor's eyes lightened even more with Ion's words.

"Thank you, old friend. But…but there was nothing you could do. No one could do. It was our war to fight…" Rose wrapped her arms around him and gave him a tight hug.

"I can't even imagine…How did you manage to stay sane?" asked Ion softly. In his old age he had seen his fellow Andorrans loose whole families and loose their minds. Many took their lives in grief and misery, he remembered one year it was extremely bad after the current king took the throne. Those people lost those closest to them, to loose your whole community…

"For awhile I did…but…some how I managed to pull out of it. I knew I had to help others, make my existence worth living again. I traveled to earth, there I met so many people, helped so many…" Ion smiled, yes, a bright outlook on life always seemed to help. When one of his friends lost a child, it was the will to live for the rest of his family that kept him going.

"You went to Earth?" asked Ion, intrigued, he heard of the distant planet. The only planet in the distant solar system to hold life. It was a planet that was still developing but from what he heard of its people, they were tough, unwilling to give up. Perhaps the humans inspired his friend to keep going. The Doctor smiled softly, looking down at Rose, she smiled up at him in return.

"It's my new home…The people there helped me pull through…but especially…" Ion's eyes finally fell on Rose, his amber eyes widening at the sight of the young human.

He had never seen a human before, nor had he truly looked at Rose until this moment. For a human she was beautiful, even for the standards of Andorrans. Bright golden hair that shined gold in some lights and silver in others. Pale, creamy skin with a hint of pink at her cheeks, she was shorter than Andorran women and more curvy, which made Ion's eyes take in the curves of her narrow frame. But the thing that caught his attention the most was her warm, brown eyes. The light, love and depth within them was so deep, he wondered how at times the Doctor did not get lost in them. Such a simple color, yet with so much meaning. Ion watched the softness and tenderness in the Doctor's eyes as he spoke; his trailing words took at deeper meaning when he looked at the human female.

Had this simple earthling pulled his friend from his overwhelming darkness? By the look in the Doctor's eyes the answer was: yes. This girl had saved him, saved the Doctor from himself…For that alone Ion instantly began to respect the entire human species, if one girl could do that for the Time Lord, what else could they do? Ion softly smiled at the couple, tapping his cane.

"You sure have changed, Doctor. You were a very different person the last time you were here. Those changes are for the better, I think." The Doctor, looked up from Rose, releasing her. Rose drifted back a few steps to let them continue talking. The Doctor chuckled running his fingers through his hair, with a slight shrug.

"Well, that's what happens when a few centuries pass old friend." Ion gave a huff as he surveyed the Doctor up and down; he looked a lot younger in this form. It made Ion's bones creak, Time Lords, the luckiest beings in the universe. Changing forms, escaping death, knowledge of the gods…Oh how he envied the Doctor sometimes.

"You look much younger," said Ion as he tapped his cane on the floor in agitation, "You Gallifreyans always seemed to gloat about your regeneration abilities. I envy you old friend."

"Well I daresay," said the Doctor, mirth glinting in his eyes, gesturing to Ion, "You do look good for your old age. Time has been kind to you," said the Doctor simply, Ion rolled his eyes as the two men grinned at each other.

"You lying bastard," said Ion simply, jabbing his cane into the Doctor's shoulder gently, within seconds the two men began to laugh. Rose could see in the smiling face of Ion, his younger self, the self the Doctor knew all those years ago.

"It's the truth!" said the Doctor, clutching his side, leaning against one of the bookshelves. Ion eyed him, a sarcastic grin spreading across his face, making the lines around his mouth and eyes deeper.

"One gets old, Doctor! That's what happens over 300 years," said Ion, stamping his cane into the wooden floor with a hard thump, "Unlike you who regenerates every time he is close to death! I never understood you Gallifreyans, always so clever and yet at times so stupid!" The Doctor's eyebrows rose as he gave Ion an affronted look, which earned a giggle from Rose. It was then the Doctor turned to look at her, his eyebrows nearly disappearing into his hairline.

"What? You agree with him?" Rose clapped a hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter as the Doctor continued to stare at her, waiting for an answer. Eventually Rose shrugged, stuttering out,

"W-well, Doctor…Y-you do have y-your days…" Ion's eyes turned to Rose again, surveying her, this time with more and more detail than the first time. The Doctor followed Ion's gaze to Rose, then jumped slightly, he had totally forgotten to introduce her!

"My mind seems to be slipping." Ion moved around the counter, leaning heavily on his cane, grunting,

"Damn right." The Doctor shot him a look as he cleared his throat and gently pulled Rose forward,

"Ion Kael, it is my esteem pleasure to introduce you to my companion, Rose Tyler. Rose, Ion, Ion, Rose." Rose reached out to shake Ion's hand, he grasped it gently, turning her hand over so he could kiss it. Rose flushed as Ion still held her hand, his amber eyes surveying her.

"Welcome to Andorra, Miss Tyler. Though I have never met a human—" Ion then flushed slightly before turning to the Doctor asking, "She is human, correct?" The Doctor smiled as Rose shot him a look, what did he think she was? An alien?

"Yes, she's human." The Doctor replied simply, his eyes flashing back and forth between his two friends with humor dancing in his eyes.

"—I am glad to be finally the making the acquaintance of a human. And a such a beautiful human, at that!" Rose flushed he was quite a gentleman! The Doctor could pick his friends.

"Thank you, it is a pleasure to meet you too," she said softly, Ion then let go of her hand, "You're shop is lovely. Reminds me of an old bookshop on earth." Rose then watched as Ion slowly moved out from behind the front desk. His amber eyes were locked onto her, she then started to feel nervous. If he was, is, the leader of the rebels, was he ensuring he could trust her? Surely if she was with the Doctor that was good enough right? The Doctor only took the best people on as his companions and no other.

"Why, thank you Miss Tyler," he surveyed Rose up and down, "I am quite proud of this place. Built it with my own two hands." Ion stopped just in front of Rose, he reached out hesitantly towards her face. Rose blinked, "May I?" he asked, Rose nervously looked at the Doctor he only nodded his head.

"It's alright, Rose," he said softly, "He's just giving you the standard look over." Rose then nodded her head in consent. Ion then gently took her chin into his hand. Rose flushed as he looked at her; they were practically nose-to-nose. Rose raised an eyebrow as she shot the Doctor a look, this was standard? He was too close, he was in her personal space, if she could say so! Brown and amber met, Ion smiled, it seemed as if he was peering into her very soul. With a nod, he pulled away, still holding her chin.

"You, Rose Tyler, I must immediately thank." Rose blinked, what had she done? She had just met him! Ion's eyes went soft and were full of humor at the blush on Rose's cheeks. That blush made her look even more beautiful. Andorrans could not blush, thus the effect on Rose seemed to Ion like a mark of beauty.

"For what?" Ion leaned in and whispered,

"I think you saved the Doctor from himself after the Time War." Rose blinked, how could she have done that? The Time War had been over years, centuries, before she even met the Doctor! "You truly pulled him out of that nightmare…I can see it in his eyes…There's something there…he cares for you deeply and respects you deeply as well. I have never seen him look at anyone like that." Rose flushed deeper as he pulled away letting her chin go. Ion tapped his cane as he began to circle her.

Ion circled her a few times, his amber eyes seemed to be x-raying her, piercing her soul from every angle. It was as if he was trying to get a read on her. Rose's face was still hot from his words about her saving the Doctor after the Time War, what the hell did he mean by that? She knew already that the Doctor…Rose shook her head, her flush fading away as she watched Ion.

Her eyes nervously found the Doctor again he had a small smile on his face as he watched. The Doctor was leaning against the front desk, his eyes solely on Rose. Rose gave him a pleading look to tell her what the hell was going on. Yet he only smiled and held a finger to his lips, shaking his head. He was telling her to be patient with Ion.

Finally Ion stopped circling, his tall form bending over to stare into Rose's eyes one more time. Brown and amber met again, Rose felt her heart jump into her throat, there was something different about Ion's eyes this time. It scared her, as if he was seeing her deepest secrets, her deepest desires, and thoughts all at once. She couldn't blink nor look away…In the deepest recesses of her mind, something snapped and Rose hissed,

"Stop." Leaning back just slightly, the connection between them was broken. Ion blinked first, looking confused as he then stepped away. His brow furrowed as he looked towards the Doctor, then back at Rose. He was sure he saw something, something had flashed over her eyes, like a gold flash…when she commanded him to stop. The Doctor scowled as Rose shook her head blinking rapidly.

"Rose that was rude…" Ion held up a hand as Rose staggered back and sat down on one of the chairs near the front desk. She had never spoke with such command, such force…It was almost like…

"No, that is alright, Doctor," said Ion looking at the Doctor, "Humans must have a different idea of personal space and I invaded her comfort zone for far too long. I am sorry, Miss Tyler," said Ion, bowing in Rose's direction. Rose looked at him then softly said,

"No, no, it's okay. I just…Never mind, please, Ion, call me Rose." Ion nodded as he began to pace. The Doctor moved to Rose's side as she continued to stare with a quizzical look about her face. He gently place a hand on her shoulder, he had never heard her speak like that before…well…only once and…no that was long ago. Out of sight, out of mind.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly, Rose gave him a reassuring nod as they turned to watch Ion. The Doctor grinned as he watched his friend finally slap the front desk and let out a loud, 'HA!' The Doctor crossed his arms and chuckled as Ion turned to face them,

"Well, what do you think Ion? Is she good or what?" Ion's grin widened as he looked at Rose, her head swinging between the Doctor and Ion for answers.

"She's a fighter! An absolute fighter! I don't know how many companions you've had, Doctor! But I dare say, Miss Rose here is a damn fighter! A hard warrior!" The Doctor's smiled widened as he watched Rose's face shift between gratitude at the complement and confusion.

"That she is…that she is…" he said softly, Rose's confusion only mounted. Ion turned to face Rose, a large smile alighting his face for the first time. His amber eyes flickered up and down Rose's form.

"She's a survivor, she knows how to fight with her whole heart and soul. She could damn well get herself killed, she's so damn stubborn!" The Doctor's eyes flashed at Ion's statement, the old man had no clue how close he was to the truth, "There is a stubborn streak in her, but that gives her fire! Ha-ha! I like her, Doctor! Just by her posture and stance, I can see she is ready to take on anyone or anything!" Ion gently took Rose's hand in between his own. She had fire alright; she had passion, but there was a deeper power inside her…one he could not detect.

"Always right, Ion. Always, right," said the Doctor, petting Rose's head, making her scowl up at him and yank her head away.

"I'm not a puppy," she muttered, her eyes turning to Ion as he looked into her eyes again.

"But it is in her eyes that I can see her true nature. There is a power within her I cannot place…a fire that cannot die out. By the gods I wish I had more men like her!" Rose blinked, her brows furrowed, she had more questions than answers. What powers? What fire? Ion then began to laugh loudly, attracting the attention of a boy about the age of thirteen in human years. His electric blue eyes surveyed his great-grandfather and the two strangers in the shop.

"Opa?" he asked, wondering if he should assist his great-grandfather or go into the back. Ion turned to face him, the lines on his face standing out more because of his humorous mood.

"Charr! Go back, boy. I am merely conversing with friends. No need to fear." The boy, Charr, surveyed the Doctor and Rose his brow furrowing with fear. He had never seen a species like this before it put him on edge. The government did not like foreigners staying around for a long time and asking the citizens questions. Charr had seen others being questioned by foreigners and no less than 24 hours later those people were gone. Taken away by the secret police, to know that much was treason, yet he heard his great-grandfather and his friends talking about them. He was tense, ready to push these 'people' out of the store if it meant saving his family.

Ion looked back over at Charr and frowned, silly boy. He could see the tenseness in his great-grandson's stance, he was nervous. The Doctor and Miss Rose were making him nervous. Seeing the fear in his electric blue eyes, he knew why. Ion sighed and walked towards Charr, taking his shoulder and forcing him around.

"These are good friends, now…"

Rose turned to face the Doctor as Ion took the boy into the back room, the velvet curtain swinging behind them. He looked at her, a small smile on his face. Rose crossed her arms and gave him a 'You have a lot of explaining to do' look.

"What was that all about?" she asked simply, her eyebrows raised as she nodded towards the backroom where Ion had disappeared. The Doctor grinned at her as he leaned towards her and said softly,

"Ion has the uncanny ability to sense things about people just by surveying them. Their movements, actions, the way they carry themselves, but most importantly, by looking into their eyes. Eyes are windows to the soul, Rose, and that is not some human metaphor, it's true." Rose blinked, Ion was seeing into her soul? Rose clutched herself and began to rub her arms vigorously, Ion had seen into her soul? What did he see?

"Oh, calm down Rose," said the Doctor, Rose glared at him, "He was seeing who you were as a person, not prying into memories and stuff." Rose stopped rubbing her arms, but still protectively clutched herself.

"So…Ion saw that I'm brave, a fighter, trustworthy and stubborn? That my stubbornness could kill me?" There was a flash in the Doctor's eyes that Rose missed, yes; Ion was clearly right about that! Rose would—could—get herself killed!

"Yep," he said simply, leaning into Rose's shoulder playfully, "You're you Rose! One hundred percent you! Ion is never wrong, he got you spot on!"

"What power is he talking about?" asked Rose, her eyes darting to look at him quickly then down at the floor. She felt a shiver go up her spine, a hidden power inside of her? Surely that was a metaphor, right? The Doctor shrugged, he had no clue himself. Maybe he was talking about the Bad Wolf or maybe he was talking about Rose's own self will, which was strong as iron!

"What did he see in you?" she asked, elbowing him gently in the arm. The Doctor smirked; he knew she'd ask him that!

"Honestly Rose, it was so long ago, that I have forgotten." Rose rolled her eyes at him as Ion came back into the room, without the boy. Rose gritted her teeth; he remembered everything! How could he forget what someone had seen in his very soul? Rose shot him a sideways glance as she muttered under her breath,

"Yeah right…"

"Please forgive, Charr. He is very jumpy with foreigners. Since the government is still watching citizen and foreigner contact secretly, we have to be careful, but he now knows to trust you." The Doctor grinned as he walked up, slapping Ion on the back.

"Grandson, huh? So…you and married Eileen huh? How many kids?" Ion scowled at the Doctor for hitting him so hard, but shrugged it off. Ion smiled as his family flashed over his eyes, they were his pride and joy. When he met the Doctor he and his wife, Eileen, had been courting, now they had a large, loving family.

"Charr is my great-grandson," the Doctor gave a whistle, "Three kids, seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren with another on the way!" The Doctor nodded, he was glad that Ion had a family, he fought so hard during the civil war. He remembered how Ion was afraid he'd never see his sweetheart again. It was a pity that the rebels lost the civil war…Speaking of which. The Doctor's eyes went dark as his face became serious.

"Ion, what happened here? I thought the king won the civil war, that the Crown Prince was killed in battle and the old king regained control of the government. What the hell happened?" Ion quickly held a finger to his lips; he slowly walked towards the window and peered outside. Pulling out a small card, he ran it through a scanner beside the door. With the press of a few buttons, curtains lowered, covering the windows. As the room went dark, Rose moved closer to the Doctor. Ion slipped the card key back into his pocket as he nodded towards the back room.

"Come to the back, I'll explain there." Ion hobbled forward quickly, calling out for Charr. Charr came out from behind the curtain, he was more relaxed this time upon seeing the Doctor and Rose.

"Charr, go to the cellar, make sure everything is ready. I've locked up the shop. Go on, now." Charr nodded as he surveyed the Doctor and Rose one last time before turning around and walked back behind the curtain. Rose heard a door open then snap shut. Ion pulled back the curtain and gestured for Rose and the Doctor to enter.

"Come, there are no bugs back here." The Doctor looked over his shoulder at the small shop. The government had placed bugs here? His eyes narrowed, of course, bookstores and places of learning were the first public places other than market squares to be bugged first. In large public places it as necessary to lower ones voice and speak in code, but in places where no one was thought to look; that was another story. The Doctor let Rose go in front of him then swiftly followed behind her.

The back room of the bookstore had a single round table and several chairs. Books and scrolls were stacked in messy piles back here too. On the table sat a lamp and several inventory books, which Ion pushed to the floor. Ion held out a chair to Rose, which she took with a grateful smile. The Doctor settled into the chair beside her as Ion turned on the lamp and settled down into his chair.

"What was all that about bugs? Is this place bugged?" asked the Doctor, his eyes landing on the curtain that led to the store. Ion softly tapped his cane as he shrugged.

"I have no idea if it is bugged or not, but its better to caution on the side of error." The Doctor nodded, smart move. The three then leaned in so they could talk softly and still hear one another.

"So what happened after I left Ion?" asked the Doctor softly, "From the bits and pieces I heard months afterward was that things were improving," Ion sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair, it the light of the lamp one could see numerous grey hairs.

"It's—it's complicated Doctor, but I will try my best to explain. The old king, as you remember, killed his son the crown prince and after that the civil war ended. The king took to heart the ideas that Gallifrey gave his government. He lessened his own powers and the powers of the nobles. He formed a Parliament, which is still in operation today—" The Doctor's eyes widened, the Parliament was still here? Rose then frowned,

"Is the Parliament then…only for show? For when we arrived here, everything seems so peaceful, polite and happy—" Ion nodded, yes, that was all part of the current government's plan. It had been in place for centuries now, the people, nobles, everyone was supposed to act as if nothing was wrong and that Andorra was a peaceful, fair, constitutional monarchy where the people influenced the king's decisions. Yet, in truth things were far from it, darker more menacing than it had been all those centuries ago.

"That is true Miss Rose," said Ion sadly lowering his eyes brief then looking at Rose, "The Parliament is corrupt, just like everything else in this government. The nobles are in control of the Parliament with the common members being paid off with favors, bribes and large amounts of money." The Doctor's eyes narrowed,

"So it never really changed. It's just like it was before," The Doctor rested his chin on his folded hands, gritting his teeth, "All that blood was spilt for nothing!" Anger flashed over his eyes as they slowly grew dark. Rose reached out and rubbed his arm, she doubted Ion's words to her. The Doctor was not healed from the Time War, his reaction here was proof of that. Ion sighed as he nodded at the Doctor's words.

"You are right and wrong, old friend," The Doctor looked up from his own memories of war and rumination to give Ion a confused look, "While the old king lived, things did improve. The nobles that supported the king and fair, honest, common men headed the Parliament. The king's and nobles' power fell, the people had more wealth and control in their own lives… yet when the old king died, all that changed. What you see now has been like this since my second child was born. We all live in fear of the royal family, the peerage and the secret police. Things have gotten worse, ten times worse than when you were last here."

"They have secret police now?" asked the Doctor, the color dropping from his face. Rassilon, if the secret police on earth could be cold hearted and brutal, who knows what they were like here. Ion nodded grimly.

"Yes, the current king implemented them after he took the throne," Rose bit her lip, now Andorra was starting to sound a lot like some governments on earth, past and present.

"It sounds a lot like some governments on my planet," said Rose softly, reaching out to touch Ion's hand. Ion blinked at the sadness in Miss Rose's eyes, "Governments who, from the outside, seem to be doing well. Their people seem happy and prospering when…when on the inside things are blacker and darker. The people always in fear of the government…not trusting anyone." The Doctor and Ion's eyes landed on Rose, she rubbed her arms as a cold chill ran through her. Earth's history was full of kings and dictators hiding the truth and using a lie to do terrible things in the name of a 'good government'.

"Miss Rose…" said Ion softly, Rose gave him a sad smile, rubbing her arms, feeling cold despite the fact she wore a jacket.

"Why don't people rise up against the corrupt government and the king?" asked Rose, anger in her voice, "They did it once! Can't they do it again? On my planet, many corrupt governments have fallen over due to the people rising up. Sure, the first few times some may have failed, but eventually they did what was right!" Ion felt his heart grow heavy with the sadness and anger in Miss Rose's eyes.

"We have tried numerous times, but have failed, Miss Rose. Only now are we gaining our full strength. Don't worry my dear we have not given up. Not by a long shot," said Ion softly, rubbing a thumb over Rose's knuckles in comfort. Yet Rose continued to look upset and shivered.

"What happened after the king died? I thought his remaining sons would see how great the kingdom was after the reforms?" asked Rose softly, the Doctor removed his trench coat and placed it over Rose's shoulders. She jumped slightly, and then gave him a smile of thanks as she wrapped it around herself.

"Many of us thought that the new king would take after his father, but he did not. Instead he made things much, much worse than any of his ancestors." Ion's voice grew deep with rage and anger, his amber eyes flashing dangerously in the dim light.

"What happened? The old king was still in good health when I left. How did he die?" asked the Doctor, fearing the answer would not be a natural death. Ion's eyes narrowed,

"The King, the reformists in the peerage and the entire Parliament, were murdered." Rose gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth, her brown eyes wide with shock. The Doctor did not seemed fazed, he was sure this was coming.

"What happened?" Ion stood up and walked over to a bookshelf behind the Doctor and removed a book from the shelves. He blew the dust off and walked back over to the table, settling the book under the lamp. The book was bound in red leather like cloth and what looked like brass. The symbols on the front Rose could not read, she frowned and then looked at the Doctor for a translation.

"'The Imperial Royal and Noble Houses of the Most High, Most Mighty Imperial Empire of Andorra,'" quoted the Doctor to Rose; Rose nodded, so it was a book on noble lineage. Ion flipped through the book until he reached near the end of the book. He then ran the side of his hand down the spine of the book, making the pages stay in place. The Doctor pulled out his glasses and put then on the bridge of his nose, softly reading names.

"This book is not the most recent version, but I added my own notes after the coups d'état." Ion ran his finger down the pedigree of the current royal family; his finger landed on the name of the old king then ran down to his offspring. There were numerous children, four sons and three daughters. Ion's finger landed on the name of the crown prince killed in battle.

"Imperial Crown Prince Aidan was killed in battle, as you remember Doctor, by his father's own hand." Rose felt her stomach turn; this was something right out of a television historical drama! Father vs. son, father killing is own son with his own hands to ensure the stability of his kingdom. Rose squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip.

"This," said Ion, pointing to the name of the youngest son, Delano, "Is our current king." The Doctor's eyes narrowed, looking at Prince Delano's date of birth. Mentally doing the math he figured the boy was fourteen years old at the conclusion of the war.

"He was young when the war ended, what happened between the king's youngest sons? How did Delano win the crown?" asked the Doctor, flipping the book so that it was righted enough so he could see everything clearly. Rose leaned over then frowned, slumping back into her chair, once again she could not read it.

"Total, absolute slaughter," The Doctor's head shot up from the book as Rose sat frozen in horror, "After the death of their elder brother, the king's three younger sons fought for control of the throne. Brother fought against brother for years, for fifteen long years they fought. That's how long the new government and our time of happiness lasted. Delano is cunning and ruthless, but unlike his brothers, he is a coward. He let's others get their hands dirty for him."

"What do you mean?" asked Rose, "Did he hire people to kill his brothers?" Ion nodded.

"That is what we, the rebels, suspected. Yet the government, either out of shame or stupidity, labeled the deaths as accidents." The Doctor snorted as he rolled his eyes, whenever an heir to the throne died, natural or otherwise, it was always thought at first to be an assassination!

"How did the brothers die?" asked the Doctor, "Surely the king must have suspected something with his two elder sons dying so fast?" Ion gave the Doctor a small smile he was getting there,

"Ah, but Doctor, look at the elder brothers' dates of death." Ion tapped the space in between the two elder brothers. The Doctor pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and leaned over. His eyebrows raised in surprise as he said softly,

"They died seven years apart. There was no way anyone would have suspected assassination for the throne…" The Doctor then chewed at his lip as Ion slapped the table with his hand.

"Exactly! Five years after the end of the civil war, the eldest brother, Keefe, died during a traditional royal hunt. It's thought by most to have been an accident, but my spies tell me that someone loosened the Prince's saddle halfway through the hunt, thus on a large jump the Prince fell off, breaking his neck." The Doctor winced, that was a painful way to go. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rose pale.

"How horrible…" said Rose, softly, "Even if he was a bad person, no one deserves to die like that!" Ion gave a grim nod as he tapped the table with his forefinger.

"It gets worse. The Prince lingered for three days before succumbing to his injuries…" The Doctor winced as Rose sucked in a breath, not a pleasant way to die…

"Of course, seven years later, Prince Gylen died under mysterious circumstances that many people think was an tragic act of fate as well." The Doctor raised his eyebrows, this Delano was a formidable opponent, if he was able to kill both his brothers and make most of the planet think it was an accident or fate, Rassilon knows what he is capable of as king!

"How did Gylen die?" Ion's eyes narrowed as he tapped his cane to the floor softly.

"He died in his sleep. The Prince had been ill for several months and one morning…he was dead." The Doctor's eyes narrowed as well, illness over several months then sudden death usually meant either a real illness or poison.

"Was he poisoned?" Rose shivered, to be ill so quick then die just as quickly from a few drops of poison in ones drink, terrible.

"They checked for poison since even the king himself thought Delano had poisoned his brother. A full autopsy was preformed and no poison was found. Many said it was just tragic fate, the Prince got ill and died. Yet, I'm pretty sure he found some undetectable poison that is not known to this nation." The Doctor nodded, yes, black market poisons were easy to obtain with the right amount of money and leverage.

"By that time Delano was already married, he and his wife had produced three daughters and were still trying for a son, who was born a year after his father took the throne. Delano was proclaimed the heir apparent not long after his brother's death."

"Let me guess," said the Doctor coolly, tapping Delano's name in the book, "His father died not long after he was proclaimed the heir?" Ion nodded giving the Doctor a slight grin.

"Right, Doctor," said Ion, "Not long after that, the king went out for his usual morning ride. He always rode alone; he said it cleared his head. Everyone knew that. He did not return by nightfall. The entire capital city searched for three days before his body was found deep in the marshlands, daggers and swords buried in his gut. Delano claimed that us rebels were behind the king's death and since then the secret police has been hunting us." Ion leaned back against his chair, his eyes dark with anger.

"How long as Delano been in power?" asked the Doctor smoothly, Rose was still trying to wrap her mind around the events she just heard of!

"About 300 years…" the Doctor nodded, that sounded right. Give or take about fifteen years and that was how long ago the Doctor had been to Andorra last.

"So Delano blamed the murder on the rebels as a scapegoat, when he clearly had his father murdered," said the Doctor under his breath, slamming the book closed with a sharp snap, making Rose jump slightly in her chair.

"Yes, luckily most of us have been in hiding, organizing things under ground. A few reckless youngsters tried to start up several rebellions over the past centuries but have ended up getting caught and killed by the secret police. Too dumb and too loud to keep their plans and themselves hidden," spat Ion, so many good lives wasted! So much energy, time and money wasted! "Most of our original group is still here and has been growing. Hopefully with a few more years of planning, we might be able to do something."

"Have you been sabotaging things?" asked the Doctor gleefully, his smiling widening as Ion's did. Rose saw a spark flash in the old man's eyes; Rose thought she could see the young rebel in the old man's place.

"Of course," said Ion slapping the table with his hand, "Not as much as we used to nor as much as we like to, but we've hit major targets with great success." The Doctor laughed, clapping his hands in delight. Rose gave a small smile; at least they were doing something and not giving up.

"So…what about this secret police?" asked Rose, her eyes darting between the Doctor and Ion, "Who are they? What do they do?" Ion then grimaced; ever since King Delano came to power he added a secret police to his arsenal of weapons, money and men.

"They are nobles, trained since boyhood to be the protectors of the royal family. Only the best are taken, usually seven to ten of the finest boys the nobility can offer, every five years. They are trained around the clock, daily; they learn to live outside the Nobles Villa, keeping an eye on ordinary people and foreigners alike. No one knows who they are or where they are. Thus no one can trust anyone but family and close friends." Rose frowned as she muttered,

"Sounds like the KGB and the Gestapo if you ask me…"

Rose pulled the Doctor's trench coat closer, like a security blanket. The Doctor could see the fear in her eyes as she pulled the coat closer as if trying to ward off danger. The Doctor slipped an arm around Rose's shoulders, she leaned her head against his shoulder, the fear slowly draining away. Ion blinked at Rose's words,

"What, my dear?" The Doctor waved his free hand saying,

"Secret police from earth's past…" Ion nodded, with a sigh he picked up the book on the table and threw it to the floor.

"Since Delano took the throne he ordered the Parliament members killed during a session between the two sides, poison gas. Anyone who stood up against him was executed publicly, by either hanging or firing squad, which ever the victim chose." Rose winced, she'd hate to have to pick her own death, but one did sound better than the other.

"How merciful," spat the Doctor in sarcasm, "You're going to die, but hey you get to pick your own method of execution!" He rolled his eyes; that sounded more like physiological torture! Ion nodded, the light fading from his eyes. So many good men and women met their fates bravely during those horrible months. It had been called The Executions, two simple words to describe months of unrelenting terror.

"That's not even half of it. If torture refused to open their lips before execution, many 'traitors' would see their own family members tortured in front of them until they broke. Even children as young as five years old!" Rose's pallor dropped to a new level, it made her blonde hair seem darker than usual and her eyes became large with fright. She began to shake.

"Rassilon…"

"God…" whispered Rose, tears stinging in her eyes, "That's—that's—" Her stomach clenched so tight she thought she was going to be sick. The sight of blood flashed over her eyes again, the Doctor…bleeding…dying… _No!_ Thought Rose, as she bent over clutching her head; _Stop __it!__ STOP __IT! __He__'__s __not __going __to __die! _The Doctor jumped up and knelt by Rose's side the instant she doubled over. He was afraid she was going to faint again. He steadied her shoulders, calling out,

"Rose…Rose, are you alright?" Rose shook her head, still keeping herself bent. This was horrible—it was beyond horrible! Rose had heard and seen human beings doing disgusting, unnatural, inhumane like things to each other! Why couldn't different races, species, planets…why…why could they not get along? Was that so hard? The more and more horrible things she saw with the Doctor, the more and more she questioned herself and her own existence…

"It's—it's maddening, Doctor," she whispered, her words floating up to his ears, "Why…why can't everyone just…get along…I don't…I can't…Why…is life…?" The Doctor gently pried Rose's hands away from her face and tilted her chin up. Her face was slightly red and she looked ready to cry but held herself back. Rose rubbed her eyes as she sat up, pulling her chin from the Doctor's grasp. She looked away from him, trying to keep herself calm.

"No one knows, my dear," said Ion softly, his gaze softening as he looked at Rose. Yet Rose refused to meet his eyes or the Doctor's, "No one knows…" Ion then settled back into his chair, his eyes watching the Doctor as he still knelt at Rose's feet. Feeling exhausted and drained, Ion pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his brow.

"That is what has happened since then Doctor. Things may look fine, but underneath, its still as dark and corrupt as it was before, but only ten times worse. I wonder if we had been better off not even starting a civil war…" Ion trailed off looking at the Doctor, questions in his eyes. Before the Doctor could open his mouth to rebut Ion's statement there was a tap at the wooden door to their right and Charr suddenly appeared.

"Opa," called Charr, poking his head out from behind the wooden door, "They are ready for you, now." Ion sighed as he got to his feet; Rose and the Doctor following suit. Rose still had the Doctor's trench coat around her shoulders as he took her hand. Ion's eyes flashed as he smiled at his guests, gesturing towards the door.

"Well, Doctor, Miss Rose, are you ready to meet my fellow rebels?"

_ Note: School is drawing to a close and I'm busy so it might be a few weeks before anything new is posted, so please be patient with me! History and politics…hmmm. Don't worry, Doctor! I can solve this! *Grabs an army helmet and my mountain of history books* Hopefully the answer is in here somewhere *Starts flipping through books*_


	7. Chapter 7

Please Review! The faster the reviews are, the faster the post!

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it is owned by the lovely BBC!

**Chapter 6: Rebels and Odd Occurrences**

Hobbling, Ion led the Doctor and Rose into another room just behind the back room. The Doctor took Rose's hand as they walked into a large storage room, stacked high with books and surprisingly tables and chairs.

"I had intended this room to be used for reading and studying, but new laws forbade me from doing it so, this is a storage room…but…" Once everyone was inside the room, Ion pulled out a small metal key and locked the door. He then nodded to Charr in a secret sign to roll back a large rug in the middle of the floor. Ion then tapped the floor where the carpet had been three times. Silence came over the room as three sudden raps responded from below their feet.

"Well, what do you know?" said the Doctor, looking down at the floor, "A trap door and cleverly built too!" Rose gasped to see hidden in the floor was a trap door, its edges barely discernible from the rest of the wooden floor. Had the Doctor not mentioned it, Rose would not have noticed it. A muffled voice then floated up from under the floorboards,

"What is the song of the westward lark?"

"A soft river," responded Ion, the sound of numerous locks and metal taps were heard as the wooden trap door creaked open. A man had pushed open the door and surveyed those in the room, a gun in his hand. He eyed Rose and the Doctor but Ion stayed the man's hand.

"Easy, Cael, these two are very important friends of mine." Cael surveyed Rose and the Doctor one more time before he walked down rickety steps down to what looked like a cellar. Charr went down several steps and held his hands out to help his great-grandfather down the stairs.

"Charr, it's okay, I'm not that old," chuckled Ion, Charr turned around and headed back down the stairs until he disappeared from sight. When Ion was halfway down the stairs the Doctor followed him. Rose was quite amused by the fact that as he went half way down, his head still was visible at eye level if someone was lying on the floor. He then offered up his hands to help Rose down the steps. Rose pulled off the Doctor's trench coat and threw it over her arm.

"Easy now, Rose, these steps are rotting," said the Doctor, grinning up at Rose, "It's quite amazing that it's still holding me!" Rose smiled down at him as she took his hands; her eyes watching her feet touch down on the first step.

"Hey, Ion!" shouted the Doctor, looking briefly down at the cellar below, "Fix these steps, will ya? Someone could break their neck!" Rose heard Ion's baritone laughter echoing up from below as she hesitantly took her next step down.

"What's the point, Doctor? This is supposed to be a secret place." The Doctor gave a loud 'ha' as he gripped Rose's hands tightly. As she stepped down again, the step under her foot groaned and Rose's heart stopped for a millisecond as she settled both her feet on the step. As she shifted her weight forward, ready to take the next step, there was a snap of wood. Rose's heart leapt into her throat as she felt herself fall. With a cry of shock, her foot fell through the rotten step, she fell forward slightly, the Doctor catching her. She found her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck as she stood awkwardly on the steps, afraid to move.

"Whoa! Hang onto me Rose. Don't move, I'm going to get your foot out," she heard him say, humor alight in his face. Rose was still too fearful about her fall to snap at him.

"It's okay, I got it," she said numbly gently looking behind her and slowly working her ankle and foot out from the hole in the stair. Rose then twisted her ankle left and right to make sure it was not broken or twisted. It wasn't, nor was there any cuts or splinters, thank goodness; she did not like splinters, "See?"

"Alright?" Rose gave a slight nod as she took the Doctor's hands again as he led her down the steps shouting at Ion, "See? Rose almost fell through!"

With each step the wood creaked ominously, Rose was afraid at any moment she'd fall through again. She was quite amazed that the Doctor could walk backwards down the steps without looking behind him. His sole focus was on Rose. When the Doctor's feet hit the dirt floor, Rose was only two steps away from the floor. She gave a sigh of relief, no more falling through rotten steps

With a sudden grin Rose, jumped down to the floor, skipping over the two remaining stairs. Rose's smile widened as she handed the Doctor his trench coat. The Doctor pulled on his trench coat, smiling down at Rose as she said,

"Thanks. That was quite some stun you pulled." He grinned down at her as he flipped the collar down and smoothed it out.

"Well, you learn a thing or two from the Imperial Chinese acrobats when you are trapped in the Forbidden City by order of emperor himself." Rose and the Doctor then turned to see people standing around the cellar, staring at them. Ion smiled at them as Cael closed and locked the trap door above them. He came forward and took Rose's hand into his.

"My apologies, Miss Rose." Rose brushed her bangs out of her eyes as she waved off Ion's apologies with a simple shake of her head and a wave of her hand.

"It's alright." Ion bowed his head to Rose then turned to walk to the center of the room. The people around the room were a mix of men and women, old and young, of about fifty people with some small children in tow. The wide range of colors amongst them, made Rose's eyes water slightly. It was like being in a very, very bright array of lights and tones. Their eyes soon became fixed on Ion, but many strayed to take a look at the Doctor and Rose. People stood on their tiptoes and craned their necks to get a better look at them.

"My friends, welcome! Today I have some very special guests!" cried Ion, raising his hands above his head. Ion gestured for the Doctor and Rose to come forward, the Doctor took Rose's hand as they moved forward.

"For those of you who remember the civil war, do you remember the Time Lord that helped us?" Many of the older men and women nodded, smiles appeared on their face as their eyes lit up. Ion gestured at the Doctor.

"He is back! My friends, this is our old friend from Gallifrey, the Doctor!" Many people began to talk amongst themselves, some people pointed openly at the Doctor. Others looked confused and shrugged their shoulders in confusion.

"This is not him, this is a different man!" said one man, leaning against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest, his teal eyes flashing. Ion sent the man an annoyed look,

"Eamon, this is the Doctor. Remember that Gallifreyans had a way to cheat death? Their DNA allowed them to change forms completely to escape death. This is the same man, just a different form." Whispers moved from one side of the room to the other with lightening speed. Eamon was still eyeing the Doctor with suspicion.

"Prove that you are the Doctor!" he snapped, his eyes narrowing, his muscles tense as he waited for an answer. Ion banged his cane with impatience at his old friend.

"Do you think I would bring just anyone down here, Eamon? I thoroughly checked the Doctor and his companion, Miss Rose, here. They are who they say they are!" The Doctor held up a hand, giving Ion a wide grin.

"Easy, Ion. I can take this." Ion looked like he was going to object, but with a sigh, he allowed the Doctor to continue. The Doctor then turned to face Eamon, searching his memory for just the right circumstances that could convince many in this room of who he was, "The assault at Escaldes, a southwestern city that lies just at the edge of the La Vella Sea. It was, is, a vital port town for the nobility. The continent across the sea from the main content that Catalonia is on, Almria." The silence endured as the Doctor turned to look over his shoulder at Rose, smiling. Rose chewed at her thumbnail as she smiled at him. He was doing this for her benefit as much as his own. The room fell silent as the Doctor told his tale; he slowly paced from one side of the room to the other, meeting people's gazes head on.

"We attacked Escaldes, from two vantage points. The two cities that the rebels had taken over, slowly over time were Jaen and Huelva. Ion led the attack from Jaen from the northeast; they took most of the city. While the old general of the king's army led the assault from the west—"

"That's when you nearly killed all of us with that damn spaceship of yours!" hollered Ion, with a grin on his face, shaking his fist playfully at the Doctor. Many of the older men in the room then began to laugh wildly. The Doctor gave Ion a small frown that quickly turned into a smile.

"Yes, yes!" shouted the Doctor over the outrageous laughter, "My TARDIS gave us a way…" Rose covered her mouth as she shook her head, ah, the TARDIS. She always gave the Doctor away.

"Yet that spaceship of yours did provide great shields that made the Crown Prince's army very confused!" said one old man on the left side of the room, his sepia eyes flashed as the men around him nodded. The Doctor's head fell into his hand as he shook his head.

"Let the Doctor tell his story!" cried Rose, cupping her hands over her mouth. The laughter died down at Rose's shout. The Doctor sent Rose a thankful look giving her a small bow.

"Thank you Rose!" he said, Rose nodded her head in return, "Anyway…Once we had taken the city, we started to make our way north. Slowly we took city by city until we reached the capital city, rejoining with the king's main army. The rest is history…"

The silence faded as a soft buzz of chatter filled the room. Rose watched as eyes lit up as people's stories began to match the Doctor's story. The Doctor looped his way around the room, his hands lazily stuffed in his pockets. He waggled his eyebrows as he sent Rose a grin. The buzzing chatter got louder and louder until Ion tapped his cane loudly against a wall of stone to silence everyone.

"Well, Eamon?" asked Ion, turning to look at his friend, "What do you think?"

Eamon smiled as he said with a smile, "He is the Doctor alright." The room then exploded with noise, people chatted excitedly with one another about the fact a living Time Lord was here, on Andorra. Rose laughed as people converged on the Doctor so suddenly that people swamped him. Ion sent Charr after the Doctor. Rose watched as the boy came out within seconds, pulling the Doctor along. When their eyes met, he winked at Rose she winked back in return.

"Charr," called Ion, as the Doctor raised his hands and asked people to quiet down so he could hear their questions, "Fetch Miss Rose a chair, this might be awhile." Charr nodded as he ran to the right side of the room and through an open doorway to the left. He came back with a chair for Rose; Ion tapped his cane next to him to indicate where he wanted his great-grandson to place the chair.

"Thank you, my boy," said Ion, as Charr settled the chair down and offered it to Rose. Ion smiled at Charr, ruffling his bright blue hair, Charr sent his grandfather an annoyed look. Rose smiled at Charr as she sat down, scooting over just a bit to give him room to sit.

"Thank you, Charr," she then patted the open spot she created on the chair next to her, "Come, sit." Charr's electric blue eyes widened, studying her. He had never seen a human before, and for a human she was quite beautiful. Charr shyly sat down beside Rose, still staring at her. Ion eventually cleared his throat and Charr slowly looked away from Rose.

Rose settled back against the chair as she watched the Doctor happily answer every single question shot his way. She could not even comprehend how he was able to keep up! Maybe it was a Time Lord thing. The Doctor himself shot back questions of his own every once in awhile.

"How are things going? How are your supplies? Weapons?"

From what Rose was able to gather from the numerous chatter and loud voices, was that things were going very well for the rebels. That within the past few years alone the number of rebels grew into the thousands all over the planet. That within the last two centuries they had been stocking up on supplies and weapons.

The rebels had been formulating plans over the centuries on how to take the Nobles' Villa from several strategic sewer drains under certain key points in the Villa. Along with important raids all over the planet at major trade ports and noble retreats. The Doctor was feeling more and more better about how things were turning out here. Sure for now, things seemed to be terrible, but the rebels were on the up and up. It would be a century or two or maybe even a few years that a true, successful rebellion could take place.

Rose watched with amusement as the Doctor jumped from question to question. Answering each one with his usual bravado and detail. Ion chuckled as he watched the Doctor, his eyes straying every once and awhile to Miss Rose. She rested her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands, her eyes watching the Doctor's and Andorrans' reactions.

It was then one of the younger children who was dragged here by her parents noticed Rose. The young girl stood up, her dark pink braids swinging in front of her eyes. She slowly walked towards Rose, slowly inch by inch. Rose then noticed the girl from out of the corner of her eye. The girl leaned forward, standing on her tiptoes, her hands behind her back. She was close, but still kept her distance from Rose. Rose smiled down at her saying,

"Hello." The girl then backed away from Rose slightly. She shyly looked up at Rose again. Rose smiled even more as she asked,

"What is your name?" The girl's pink eyes widened in horror at Rose's sudden question. Rose gave a soft laugh as she watched the girl move back towards where her mother was sitting, the girl tugged on her mother's sleeve. The mother smiled down at her daughter, her eyes following her daughter's gaze to Rose.

"Who is this girl? What species is she?" asked a young girl loudly, her pink eyes wide with wonderment. The room fell silent as all eyes then turned to look at the little girl. The little girl was pointing her finger openly at Rose. A deep blush rose up from her neck to her face as all eyes turned away from the Doctor to her. Rose fidgeted as she ducked her head, Ion began to chuckle as a deeper and deeper blush filled her cheeks. Ion took Rose's hand into his and patted her hand.

"It's alright, my dear." The Doctor then smiled widely as he moved towards Rose, people parting for him. Rose ducked her head lower as the blush increased on her face, now making it beat red. Why did he have to involve her in all this? She was just his companion; he was the Time Lord! Why would they want to see her? She was just the pink and yellow human! Rose then felt the Doctor snatch up her hands then with one fluid pull, yanked her to her feet.

"Doctor!" cried Rose as she stumbled forward, the Doctor looping an arm around her waist to steady her. She had barely anytime to recover because she then felt herself being pulled to the center of the room, "I'm not that important," she hissed to him, only making his smile grow wider.

"Ah, but that is where you are wrong, Rose," he said finally stopping in the center of the room, turning to face her, "You are important. You are important to me and therefore, you get a proper introduction each and every time!" Rose scowled at him as she slipped her hand out of his, crossing her arms over her chest, eyeing him with dislike. The Doctor then sidestepped around her, putting an arm over her shoulders, which she unsuccessfully tried to shake off.

"Ladies and gents, this is my lovely human companion, Miss Rose Tyler!" The Andorrans gasped and stared in awe; they had never seen a human before. Rose pushed the hair out of her eyes giving everyone a shy smile as she waved saying,

"Hullo." The people around the room waved and smiled at Rose in turn, the Doctor's eyebrows rose as he looked at his companion. They liked her; they instantly liked her! The rebels were usually suspicious of foreign creatures. He tightened his grip around her shoulders in support; then again, Rose had the strange ability to make anyone like her instantly.

Rose was then bombarded by questions from every angle. They came in loud and fast, so fast that Rose did not catch most of them. She spun on the spot as she sputtered out vague answers; she looked towards the Doctor, pleading for assistance. It was Ion, not the Doctor, who came to her rescue.

"Now, now, calm down everyone. Let's not overwhelm Miss Rose," Ion stood up and made a motion to which the whole room became quiet once more. "I'm sure she'll be happy to answer your questions." Rose sent Ion a smile and mouthed, 'Thank you'. Ion merely smiled at her.

For over the next three hours, the solemn cellar held a festive like atmosphere. With the heavy business out of the way, the rebels would always have a small get together afterwards.

"I thought this was serious business," muttered Rose as she watched people laughing and talking, "Not a party." The Doctor then gave Rose a slight nudge in the shoulder as he said,

"These meetings only take place every three months or so; maybe even longer than that. Since the government has banned social gatherings in public and private, this is the best place to do it. Besides, these people are risking their lives being here. Why not have a little fun while at it?" Rose gave a slight nod as she agreed with him; it was better than a somber, solemn atmosphere about death, cruel governments and war.

The adults talked over mugs of spiced wine and odd dishes that looked like very, very odd colorful party snacks. Rose had been hesitant about the food at first, seeing as she was hungry so she took a nibble at a blue looking pastry. The Doctor swiped the damn thing from her hand after seeing her take such a dainty bite.

"This is good stuff Rose. Andorran pastries are some of the best in the universe. Especially these!" Rose frowned at him as she held out her hand for the pastry, vaguely noticing that it oozed a green slime like filling.

"I will take my time Doctor. I'm not a fan of food that is blue and oozes slime." The Doctor clicked his tongue at her shaking his head. Surely by now Rose knew that different planetary foods would be different in color, shape and size from the foods she saw on earth.

"Now I know you've seen similar blue pastries on earth, Rose." Rose lowered her hand rolling her eyes. Yes, there was such a thing as blue pastries due to food dye, but this…

"Yes, Doctor, but—" The Doctor shushed her as he promptly covered her eyes; "Doctor?" shouted Rose, irritated that he would not let her be. She crossed her arms over her chest as his hand pulled away from her eyes, letting her see again. He then gave her an odd smile as he leaned in towards her.

"Then close your eyes and open your mouth. Don't think about the odd colors." Rose flushed as an innuendo passed over her mind for a second but acquiesced to his request by closing her eyes. He then popped the pastry into her mouth, closing her jaw with a simple tap of his fingertips under her chin. Rose at first crinkled her nose, wondering if he'd cover her mouth as well to prevent her from spiting it out if she did not like it. She steeled herself, chewed and swallowed it.

Upon opening her eyes, she blinked several times in surprise. It had been very, very sweet, the 'slime' actually tasting like a form of jam. The best way to describe it was a mix of strawberries and mango. A jam tart was the best thing she could equate it to on earth. The Doctor grinned at her, a smirk on his face.

"You were right," she said coolly, putting her hands behind her back. Curious, she picked up a green one and ate it; an idea then sprang into her head.

A brilliant idea.

"See? You can't judge it until you try it," said the Doctor simply, tapping Rose on the nose, "Not all the stuff I feed you tastes bad." Rose smirked as she was sure he was remembering one time he talked her into eating this yellow paste that tasted like horseradish and onions that made her gag and mistrust him on food for weeks. Rose reached behind her back and picked up one of the tarts, lying in wait.

"So…what did it taste like?" he asked, feeling quite full of himself at the moment.

"Tastes like strawberries and mango. Or—" Rose then gave a savage grin, which instantly made the one from the Doctor's face drop. When she had that look on her face, it was not a good thing. Taking the pastry from behind her back, with a sly grin, she shoved it into the Doctor's slightly open mouth. Smearing the green frosting on his lips and nose, the jam squishing between her fingers. _"—__PEARS!__"_ shouted Rose, causing several Andorrans to look their way with curious looks on their faces. The Doctor pulled a face as he forced himself to swallow it down. Rose gave a triumphant grin as he swallowed down two goblets of the spiced wine to get the taste out of his mouth.

"Rassilon, Rose!" he shouted, glaring at her, "You know I _hate_ pears!" Rose's grin widened he was not very threatening when he had frosting all over his face. The green pastry tasted like pears, so it was the perfect revenge for Rose, the fruit he hated the most. People began to laugh around the Doctor and Rose, wondering why on earth the Time Lord was so upset over a fruit. Rose sauntered forward, not caring that he was still glaring down at her. She stood up on her tiptoes and leaned in to whisper in his ear,

"That's what you get when you have a wolf by the ears, Doctor." She then swiped a finger across his nose, gathering up the left over frosting and eating it before turning away. Ion, who was nearby, saw the whole thing and began to laugh hysterically, slapping his knee,

"She got you, old friend. Like I said before, she's a fighter! I can see why you keep her around!" The Doctor grabbed at nearby napkin and wiped his face, his eyes on Rose. She was now talking with several Andorran girls that were near her age; still laughing at the stun she had just pulled. Ion came up beside the Doctor, still grinning madly.

"You're just going to let her walk away?" asked Ion, giving the Doctor an elbow to the ribs, "If _I_ did that—" The Doctor smiled as he looked at Ion.

"—_You__'__re_ not Rose." Ion watched his eyes turn soft as he continued to watch Rose. Rose looked towards him when she felt the Doctor's eyes upon her and gave him a large smile. The Doctor merely raised the goblet in his hand towards her in a salute then took a sip.

"Ah…the things we do for the women we _love_…" said Ion softly as he strolled off, knowing full well the Doctor heard him. It was confirmed by the choking and spluttering coming from the Doctor the instant he turned away. A soft smile lit Ion's face; oh, he did not need to see into the Doctor's soul that he was unabashedly in love with Miss Rose and she with him. Ion thanked the gods that the Doctor had found someone, now if only he'd take his own advice, the advice he gave Ion when he was courting his wife. Loosen up a little bit more…

As the party came to a close, Ion and several of the head rebels discussed some small raids and updates on supply lines and plans. Rose thought it was a slight buzz kill, but seeing as the Doctor and her had taken up all the attention at the beginning, it was best to discuss these things before everyone went home. As Eamon discussed supply lines from a northern continent, Ion stood up and made a motion to two men in the far right corner. They nodded and disappeared into the same room Charr had retrieved Rose's chair from. The chatter died down as the two men returned carrying a large wooden crate. The Doctor looked at it oddly as it was placed in front of him.

"Oh, a present for me?" he said gleefully, looking towards Ion. Ion smiled as he nodded at the Doctor. The Doctor clapped his hands and rubbed them together in expectation. Rose gave a grin as she looked over her shoulder at Ion.

"Now you've done it," she said sarcastically, winking at Ion. Ion chuckled at her as he shook his head. They both knew the Doctor all too well.

"Yes, Doctor, this is for you. It is something I have been protecting for quite a few centuries now. An…appreciation gift for all those centuries ago." The Doctor grinned up at Ion, as he stood on pins and needles wondering what it was.

"Can I open it?" he asked, Rose clapped her hands then brought them to her mouth, biting her lip as she smiled. He sounded like a child who was asking his parents for permission to open an early birthday present. Ion gestured for the Doctor to go right on ahead. Rubbing his hands together again, the Doctor slipped his fingers just under the lid and with a hard yank; the heavy wooden lid came off.

The sight and smell of dust permeated the space around the box. Rose coughed as she fanned the air with her hand to disperse the dust. The Doctor didn't seem to mind it at all. He dove straight into the crate, pulling out a large book. Rose inched closer as the dust cleared. Leaning over, Rose saw numerous books varying in size. She couldn't even tell how many there were, whether it was fifteen or a hundred.

"Rassilon…" whispered the Doctor, Rose looking up to see him run his fingers through his hair. His brown eyes were wide with shock, his pallor dropping just slightly. Rose straightened herself as she moved towards the Doctor, worried. Yet the shock instantly wore off in the matter of seconds. The Doctor smiled, a bright yet slightly sad smile. He began to laugh as he bounced on the balls of his feet in excitement, the happiness shining through more and more brightly. Ion only smiled as the Doctor turned to face his old friend.

"This is amazing! Ion! How did you…?" asked the Doctor, Rose had never seen him so happy as he knelt down beside the crate, pulling out random books and flipping through them. He was like a kid at Christmas. Ion smiled as he settled down into his chair. Rose raised a quizzical eyebrow at Ion. Everyone else in the room seemed to know what these books were, judging by the content looks on their faces, yet Rose had no clue. Once again she was left in the dark.

"Had these in my personal library for a long time. Some of them my father had acquired a few years before his death." The Doctor looked up at Ion, his eyes bright with tears. It was then it hit Rose. These were not just any books—they were Gallifreyan. These books were from Gallifrey. Saved from the Time War because Ion had them in his possession at the time, thus saving them. Rose put her hands over her mouth as she swallowed down the lump in her throat. To regain something that you thought was lost forever…No wonder the Doctor was out of his mind with happiness. Ion ran his fingers through his hair as he continued,

"Could never read them, but I had hoped one day you would return and translate them for me or…" Ion nervously trailed off, Rose's eyes flickered to watch the Doctor. She knew Ion meant to take the books to Gallifrey to be translated but the war…The Doctor didn't even bat an eye, but Rose knew better. Ion then continued slowly,

"However...once the old king died, King Delano imposed a new law that all foreign books and materials not approved by the government should be destroyed. So I blackened out the titles in case there ever was a raid on this place. Thank the gods that has never happened, yet. I packed them away and brought them down here, hoping one day you'd return. So I could return them to their true owner." The Doctor frowned; he could just imagine so many books, information and things that seemed dangerous to the king tossed into incinerators.

Rose shivered; she could imagine it was almost something like from Nazi Germany. In school they showed grainy black and white images of Nazi's burning books at rallies, calling for books that were deemed unsuitable for this 'new' Germany to be burned. It had made Rose sick then and it made her sick now. She looked down at the books in the crate again, how close had this information been to being lost forever?

The Doctor rose to his feet as Ion did the same. The Doctor then gave Ion a large hug, one of the books still clutched tightly in his hand.

"This is a true gift my friend," The two pulled away as the Doctor settled a hand on Ion's shoulder, his eyes shining with unshed tears, "I—I can never repay you for this." Ion then waved a hand, as he limped towards the crate.

"You did so much for us during the civil war, Doctor. You kept us going. Kept a lot of us in this room alive. In a way, you have always been here, amongst us rebels in spirit, pushing us forward even in our darkest hour. It was you who told us that we had to continue to fight to gain our freedom. Those words still echo around us today, old friend." Rose's heart went out to Ion as she slipped her hand into the Doctor's, giving it a tight squeeze in comfort.

Ion reached into the crate and pulled out a book, brushing the dust away as he turned to face the Doctor again.

"Besides," said Ion with a shrug, "As a scholar I hate to see such fine pieces of literature thrown to the fire. Knowledge is precious it must never be lost. With Gallifrey gone, I knew these books were beyond rare, priceless gems that in the wrong hands could be used against the universe. The king, despite hating Gallifrey, wants to use its knowledge to better himself and the nobles. I knew I had to hide these not only from the flames, but from the king. Take them Doctor, they are more yours as they are mine."

The room was encased in silence for a moment as the Doctor wiped a few stray tears from his eyes. Rose doubled her grip on his hand. When the Doctor looked up he was smiling.

"I'll try to send you transcripts so you can read them for yourself." Ion then smiled, chuckling under his breath. The Doctor was never one to dwell on sadness if he could. Rose then let go of the Doctor's hand and walked towards Ion. She looked up at him and then hugged him. Ion stiffened but instantly returned the embrace as the chatter in the room started up again.

"Thank you, Ion," said Rose, looking up into the amber eyes, lit with happiness, "You—you don't know how much this means to him. To give him back something of his home world, it makes him happy. I just wish I could do just as much." Rose looked at her trainers as she let Ion go. Ion's hand tilted her chin upward, careful that his claw like nails did not cut her skin.

"Miss Rose, I repeat what I said to you earlier. I think you've done far more for him than any books from Gallifrey could," Rose looked up and met Ion's eyes as they crinkled as he smiled, "You saved him, Miss Rose. You love him." Rose blushed as she gave a soft gasp, how did he…?

"How?"

"I am an old man, Miss Rose," said Ion, lowering his hand from her chin and bringing it to tap his temple with a finger, "I know love when I see it. Love him; be with him with everything you have, Miss Rose. You make him happy, more than you realize." Rose stood there pondering his words as Ion then offered her one of the old books.

"Come, look, Miss Rose."

Rose leaned over Ion's shoulder as he opened the old book careful not to damage the cover nor the pages. The smell of musty pages floated up to her nose, she frowned. She did not like old books, the smell and the dust made her sneeze. Yet as Ion flipped through page after page she was amazed by what she saw. The illustrations were gorgeous, something out of a Renaissance painting only ten times better. The words on the page were dull, yet to Rose they were beautiful symbols that seemed to come out of a fantasy world. Then again Gallifrey was a fantasy world now…

Rose glanced up to see the Doctor shifting through the crate, muttering under his breath the titles. A few times he let out a loud 'ha' or 'I remember this'. Oh, yes, a kid at Christmas was the best way to describe the Doctor's current state of mind. Rose smiled, it was so uplifting after everything she heard and saw today to see the Doctor so happy. If he was happy, she was happy. The Doctor looked up, upon seeing Rose staring at him, he jumped to his feet, book still in hand. With lightening speed the Doctor ran over to where Rose and Ion stood. Oh yeah, the Doctor was happy alright!

"Rose Tyler, I promise you, you are getting a bedtime story every night for months!" Rose grinned as she rolled her eyes. Bedtime stories for her were long, long past their prime! Rose then flicked him on the forehead, as she smirked at him.

"Calm down, Doctor. Sheesh! I've never seen anyone this happy! You're going to wear yourself out!" In response, he twirled her around as he pulled her into a quick waltz, "Doctor! Stop!" Laughed Rose, this wasn't excited energy, oh no, this was mad energy!

"Rose, I have energy to last days at this point!" Rose felt her feet come out from under her as he pulled her back into a dip, "Don't patronize me!" Rose giggled as he righted her, his eyes dancing with pure happiness. He then handed her one of the books. The cover was made of a material Rose had never seen before, it seemed like a mix of velvet and leather that had bound books together since the Middle Ages!

The title had been blackened out by black paint, but as the paint chipped away she could see flecks of gold writing, no, symbols. Rose pulled a face as she opened the first page. The Doctor laughed at her expression, doubling over as Rose continued to flip through, the frown on her face rivaling ones her mother pulled!

"It's Gallifreyan, Rose! Humans can't read it!" Rose's face filled with a soft flush as she snipped at him,

"I know that! It's just odd, beautiful, but odd." The Doctor gave a soft smile as he watched Rose reverently turn each page. Leaning over her shoulders, the Doctor grinned down at her, as he flipped a page.

"These are Gallifreyan myths. You are going to be quite surprised that there are many similarities between our myths and the myths of earth," he said softly, Rose looked up at him and gave him a teasing smile.

"I guess if I want to learn all of this," she gestured to the large crate of books, "You'll have to read me two stories a night!" He doubled over laughing as Rose stood there, hands on her hips. Much like a two-year-old demanding another story from mummy before she was forced to bed.

"Hey! I'm serious! I want to learn as much as I can!" He looked up to see sparks in her eyes. He stopped laughing as he could see the desire to learn about his home planet in her eyes as plain as day. His other companions only got passing information about Gallifrey, but it was Rose who wanted to know everything. The girl who had seen into the Time Vortex, the girl who had seen everything…

Before, Rose could speak the Doctor pulled her into a tight hug. She stiffened for a moment before she relaxed, wrapping her arms around him. He buried his face into her shoulder as Rose turned her head slightly to watch him. The Doctor seemed…serene, happy, grateful, even. Rose's eyes smiled, she wanted to understand him, his people, his planet. If learning that knowledge could help him when he needed someone to talk to, to understand him, she wanted to be that person. She wanted, no, needed, to be there for him. He had been there for her so many times…even when she did something stupid or wrong.

The Doctor then pulled away, staring softly down at Rose. He cupped her face in his hands, watching her eyes dance with an exotic light. She ducked her head then smiled up at him saying softly,

"I want to learn everything…about your people…your home world…So I can understand you better and…at times…help you, my Doctor." The Doctor then kissed her forehead softly, closing his eyes and breathing in her scent. He then pressed his forehead against hers. He opened his eyes so that he could see the reaction,

"Thank you, Rose." Rose's eyes sparkled as she smiled her wide grin at him that made her crinkle her nose and squint her eyes. That smile always made her look so happy and cute. Yet the moment quickly evaporated away as the men in the room wolf whistled and made the usual noises that men in any species make when there is PDA in the room. Blushing, the two stepped away from each other, looking nervous. Rose shuffled her feet, why had they forgotten they were not alone? The Doctor recovered his composure faster than Rose, grinning madly.

"Well…this is the most exciting news I've had all day! Ion, my friend, you have my eternal thanks! Rose here might or might not thank you depending on how well she likes my storytelling!" The men laughed, some shooting each other looks, Rose rolled her eyes. Men will be men no matter what time, species or planet they were on. She stood still as the Doctor turned back to Rose.

"Well, Miss Tyler, you are going to be learning so much, you might just get sick of hearing my voice for awhile!" Rose giggled as she watched him talk and walk with manic energy that she swore he was close to running rings around her.

As the Doctor continued to ramble excitedly in the background at a million miles per hour, Rose then heard something. It was a distant voice, no, a song. A song she had not heard in a long time. It was a beautiful song-like language she had heard while the power of the TARDIS hummed in her veins. Rose looked around, why wasn't anyone else hearing this? Confused, Rose looked down at the book in her hands; it was glowing gold, just slightly. Rose paled as she looked around again, no one but her seemed to notice this. Rose turned to look at the Doctor, his name on the tip of her tongue. What was she experiencing? Was she going mad?

_"__Rose__…__Bad__ Wolf__…" _said a soft voice, Rose; now shaking stared back down at the book again. The gold light had intensified, slowly the unreadable symbols became letters, the letters became words, words became sentences and sentences became whole paragraphs. It was as if by magic this power…turned these Gallifreyan symbols into readable English!

During all this the children were playing games, led by Charr. Charr ran around the room, chasing his playmates in some form of tag. As he looked back to see if the person who was it was near him, he did not see Rose standing in front of him. He hit her hard, slamming into her legs and hip, falling backward with a slight thud. Charr shook his head as he looked up to see whom he ran into. When he saw it was Rose, Charr scrambled to his feet, his eyes wide.

"I'm very sorry Miss Rose! I did not see—" Charr waited for her to either scold him or tell him she was alright. He waited and waited, but as the seconds passed Charr realized something was very, very wrong. Miss Rose did not even acknowledge his presence when he hit her or nor when he apologized to her. Her eyes were glazed over like glass as the brown irises took on a gold hue. Charr's eyes widened in horror as within a matter of seconds, Miss Rose's brown eyes became a glimmering gold that rivaled some of the gold irises he seen on his fellow Andorrans. Her lips moved in a mere whisper, whispering words that he could not understand.

"Miss Rose? Miss Rose?" asked Charr, grabbing Rose's arm and giving her a small shake. She did not respond, she continued to read the book, flipping page after page, softly reading to herself. Char was now starting to get scared, he shook Rose harder, but again and she failed to notice him.

"Opa! Opa!" shouted Charr, who was now fearfully clinging onto Rose's jacket, "Something is wrong with Miss Rose!" The Doctor turned; a shiver went down his spine. Rose was staring at the book on Gallifreyan myths, yet something had changed about her demeanor. It radiated off of her in waves, something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong. Handing his book to Ion, the Doctor walked straight over to Rose. Charr backed away, his electric blue eyes wide with fear. The whole room fell silent as every rebel turned to watch the Doctor and Rose.

"Rose?" the Doctor grabbed her shoulders and gently shook her. She did not respond. "Rose? Rose, stop it! Rose! Enough! ROSE?" he shouted, she then looked up at him. The Doctor stepped back, gasping, unable to believe what he was seeing. The moment Rose looked at him her eyes flared with power. He had seen her eyes do that only once before, on Satellite 5, when she took the power of the TARDIS into her body. Her eyes flared with the power of time and space, her irises a gleaming gold in color.

"Impossible…" he whispered, Rose just stared at him. He pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver and carefully approached her. He ran a quick scan over her eyes the reading was like a punch to the gut. She had the exact kind of power running through her as she did on Satellite 5!

"I took that poison from you!" he cried, panic starting to creep into his voice, "I took every bit of it from you!" He cupped Rose's face, pressing his forehead against hers. He tried to peer into her mind, to see if she was in pain. Only to find himself blocked, she was not letting him in.

"Let me in Rose," he said softly, her gold eyes watching him with an unreadable look, "Let me help you." He tried again, yet this time he felt a shock of power run through him. Stepping away from her for a moment, he vaguely felt as if he had been hit with an electrical charge. Shaking his head, he regained his senses. Rose looked at him with an odd expression on her face. Her gold eyes laughing at him, she smiled,

"_What__'__s __wrong,__Doctor?__"_ The Doctor's eyes widened, there was no way... It couldn't be…Rose's slight smile faded as she stepped towards him. Her hands reaching out towards him saying,

"_Doctor? __Are __you __okay? __You__'__re __getting __awfully __pale.__"_ Rose looked up at him, brushing the back of her hand over the side of his face, her gold eyes expressing concern. The Doctor swallowed down a lump in his throat, his hands shaking as he gripped Rose's shoulders painfully tight.

Rose was speaking clear, perfect Gallifreyan.

Her accent was still there, but to the ears the beautiful song like language was clear, true Gallifreyan. How was this possible? Rose was human. The powers the TARDIS gave her were long gone, how could she…? The Doctor pulled Rose close, resting his forehead against hers once again, praying that she would let him in this time. Rose closed her eyes and opened her mind. It was as if she heard his plea.

The Doctor searched Rose's mind for the source of the power, trying not to pry into private memories. The harder he looked the answer seemed to allude him more and more. Finally he found it, and it was not what he expected. In his mind's eye he saw Rose, glowing with this strange power, her back facing him.

"Rose?" Rose turned around, but it wasn't Rose. It was the Bad Wolf, dressed in traditional Gallifreyan robes. Her eyes were a shimmering gold as she smiled at him. The Bad Wolf waggled a finger at him as if to say, 'Oh no, you don't'. The Bad Wolf then spoke, her beautiful voice echoing as she spoke to the Doctor in clear Gallifreyan.

"_Rose__ and __I__ are __one __in __the __same.__ One __being. __One__ power. __Do __not __fear, __Time __Lord. __The __time __has __com_e." The Doctor stood in shock as the Bad Wolf smiled and nodded at him, as if she could see his thought process.

This…this was Rose's own power? This was not an echo of the power from the Time Vortex? Rose's own power personified as the Bad Wolf? But how…why…she was human! A normal human…why? The only time Gallifreyan energy touched her was that one-day! _That __one-day!_ How could she still have this dangerous, lethal power humming in her human veins? It could kill her!

"Get out of her! You'll kill her!" he shouted at the Bad Wolf, anger flooding him, she could kill Rose. What was this persona of Time doing to Rose? Was she—it—using Rose for its own purpose? The Bad Wolf shook her head,

"_This __was __foretold __long __ago, __Time__ Lord.__Do __not __fear __for __the __human, __Rose. __This __power __will __not __kill __her __as __it __slowly __manifests __itself. __The __power __of __Gallifrey __will __not __harm__ her. __Do __not __fear __for __her __life. __Her __life __is __safe, __here,__"_ The Bad Wolf gestured to her heart, smiling at the Doctor, _"__She __is __me__ and __I__ am __her, __we __are __one __and __the __same.__"_

"What do you mean? The power will manifest itself? How? _Tell__ me!_ I command you to tell me!" The Bad Wolf shook her head again as she smiled at him, her eyes fading to Rose's chocolate brown eyes. In a flare of gold light, the Bad Wolf vanished.

With the flare of gold light the Doctor felt the connection between his mind and Rose's snap. Back in reality, he felt Rose slump forward as her knees buckled. The book slipped from her fingertips, as she made a feeble attempt to catch it, but was unsuccessful.

"Doctor! Miss Rose!" cried Ion; the Doctor held up a hand as he gently lowered Rose to the floor. Rose blinked, what was that? She looked up to see the Doctor running a scan over her with the Sonic Screwdriver, his face a blank mask. Rose growled under her breath,

"That's the second time today you've shoved the sonic into my face. What is going on? What's wrong with me now?" The Doctor checked the readings, they were normal, it was as if it never happened. Was Rose's fainting spell this morning and this interconnected? He wasn't sure. He wanted to rush her back to the TARDIS and run a battery of tests, but if he did that, Rose would start to panic. Rose's brown eyes watched his every move as he put the screwdriver back in his pocket, and then cupped her face.

"You're fine…" he said softly, his eyes unreadable to her, "The Bad Wolf just wanted to make her presence known." Rose stared at him in shock as he stood up. She sat there, staring at his red trainers as she tried to wrap her head around his cryptic words.

The Bad Wolf? That's what she called herself when she used the TARDIS's powers to destroy the Daleks! Leaving that constant code word as a message to herself throughout time and space. How did that code word spring up now? She vaguely remembered the Gallifreyan book, the symbols becoming words and then…she blacked out. Rose shivered, she blacked out when the full power of time and space ran through her veins! God it was just like…

"Doctor…did I?" she looked up at him, he put a finger on his lips and shook his head, he'd explain later. Rose frowned, she wondered if this Bad Wolf stuff and her visions that morning were one in the same. As Rose forced herself to her feet, she felt weak and her entire body felt as if it had been on fire! Every movement was painful, she swayed on the spot, several men rushed forward to catch her, but the Doctor grabbed her elbow to hold her steady. Her body felt like this after she killed the Daleks back on Satellite 5, how…?

"I'm okay," she said, smiling at the men who ran to her rescue. One of them bent down and picked up the book she dropped. Rose smiled at him as he handed it to her. Rose turned to look at a shattered mirror before her the instant the book touched her skin. Rose felt a scream bubble to her mouth, but she silenced it, knowing it would only cause trouble. The moment the book touched her skin; her eyes glowed gold for a brief second…

_The__ visions__…__Bad __Wolf__…__this __power__…__No__—__way__—__I__'__m__— _Thought Rose, she shook her head. Her eyes were back to their normal color, _No__ the__ Doctor__ took__ all__ that__ power__ from __me,__ it__ could__—__can__ kill__ me. __No, __I__'__m__…_

Her eyes darted to the Doctor where he was talking quietly with Ion. Rose bit her lip, she was sure he'd explain all this to her later, right? Rose walked towards a nearby chair; everyone was watching her wearily, as if she would explode or something. Rose tried to figure out what the hell was going on, rubbing her temples as she blocked out the numerous conversations that were starting up once again around the room.

Rose rested her forehead against her knees, what was wrong with her? What did all this mean? The sense of foreboding came back with a vengeance. They shouldn't be here, in this underground room, on this planet at all. Rose felt herself begin to shake with fear again. She forced herself to focus on her breathing, in and out, in and out…

A nearby clock tolled the hour, the Doctor spun on the spot pulling at his hair crying out,

"Rassilon! The time! I totally lost track of time!" Rose smiled as she lifted her head up. The entire room burst into outrageous laughter at the notion of a Time Lord loosing track of time. Rose shrugged to herself as she thought, _It__ does __happen._

The Doctor then started to go off on a slightly panicked rant about the amount of time it would take to return to the TARDIS before the sun set. From what Rose was able to get from his million miles an hour rant was that certain creatures, dangerous, carnivorous creatures hunted at night just outside the city gates. That's why the walls around the city were so large, not only to ward off attack but to keep the large hungry beasts out. Rose stood up as she surveyed the crate. He was worried about her safety; she was worried about this damn crate.

"How are we going to get this thing back to the TARDIS?" asked Rose as she looked down at the wooden crate, the books nearly came over the top of the crate. Rose raised an eyebrow it had to weigh at least a hundred pounds! There was no way anyone could carry it from the store to the TARDIS. The Doctor stopped mid-rant and looked up. Upon hearing Rose's question, he merely grinned at her as he reached into his trench coat pocket.

"Simply, my dear Rose." He pulled out a small metal button with a blue light on top that was not active. Rose's eyebrow rose as he placed it on the side of the crate. It looked like those mini bombs that people put on escaping planes and cars in films. The Doctor merely smiled at her as he pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver, he adjusted the settings then pointed it at the crate. The blue button activated, blinking slightly. There was then a flare of blue light and the crate was gone.

"Where'd it go?" asked Charr curiously, waving his arms back and forth over the spot where the crate had been. Rose gave a soft giggle as Charr looked at her then at the Doctor for an answer.

"To my ship, Charr. That's where!" answered the Doctor lightly, spinning the sonic between his fingers. Rose wondered how that—that transport system worked. The Doctor sighed sadly as he ran his fingers through his hair, "Well, we'd best be off," said the Doctor, holding out his awaiting hand for Rose to take.

Ion nodded as he Charr helped him to his feet. The rebels all thanked them for coming, still in awe that they had met a Time Lord. Rose vaguely wondered if the treaty with Gallifrey had lasted and the Empire was not so corrupt, what would this planet be like now? Rose carefully once again made her way up the creaking wooden stairs, the Doctor holding her hands to help guide her up. The Doctor shook Ion's hand one more time before they showed themselves out of the little shop after Ion unlocked the security system.

The bright sun burned into Rose's eyes after being underground for several hours. The Noble's Villa seemed to shimmer in the late afternoon sun; the bright gold sunlight and stones making it look mystical and untouchable. Rose frowned, that probably was the point. The high walls made out of polished stone seemed like a waterfall of ice compared to the rich colors of the peasant village. Rose hated to see so much difference between the rich and the poor right before her eyes. How could people do this to one another?

Rose then winced, humans did this to one another just as much as aliens. Rose felt the Doctor tug on her hand and she blindly followed behind him, still wrapped up in her thoughts.

"Doctor?" she finally asked, the question on the tip of her tongue feeling silly as it rolled around in her mouth, he turned back to face her, "Why—why hasn't there been a rebellion or a revolution in centuries? There had been a civil war, surely if things have gone from bad to worse, aren't people willing to fight back? Not just the rebels?" The Doctor stopped, turning to face her. Anger was flashing over her eyes as well as confusion. As a human she knew the will to fight was strong in her.

"You heard them back there Rose," said the Doctor softly, pulling Rose to the side of the street, still holding her hand, "They are trying, as hard as they can. These things take time." Rose's eyes lowered to the ground, her brown irises becoming dark with each passing second.

"Hungry?" he asked her, Rose's eyes were still dark and lowered to the ground as she shrugged nonchalantly. "Come on." The Doctor tugged on her hand, pulling her towards a small café, wondering how he could cheer up his companion.

_Note: __I__'__m __back! __Thank __you __for __your __patience. __Ah, __a __food__ fight __between__ the __Doctor __and __Rose__…__It could happen__. __Rose __has __unexplained __powers __connected__ to __the __Time__ Lords __eh?_


	8. Chapter 8

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**Chapter 7: Fight!**

The Doctor watched as Rose sadly watched people pass them on the streets. She had barely touched her food after their talk. He could see the pain in her eyes; he knew she hated to see people suffer. Since day one, she had been like that. The Doctor knew that corrupt systems like this could be toppled with the right circumstances and timing. The revolutions that humans started time after time proved that. Maybe one day the conditions would be right for Andorra.

"How can people live like this?" asked Rose softly, not looking at him, "Living day to day knowing that there can be something better in life, but they either cannot or will not fight for it?" Rose felt tears sting her eyes; she knew if her government treated her like an instrument of false peace and prosperity, she'd fight against it to her last breath!

"Sometimes, Rose, one has to wait for the right moment. You know from earth's history that civil wars are won on the correct timing; if it wasn't the right time then they fail. That's what happened here, it was the wrong time and the nobility have more money and forces than the average citizen." Rose turned to look at him, her brown eyes hard. His face was unreadable again, she hated it when he did that!

"How can a king, a parliament, hell, an entire government be so cruel? No matter what planet one is on, how can they do that to their own?" The Doctor reached across the table and took Rose's hand. There was so much that he did not even understand, the fact that similar situations repeated itself through time and space was not a coincidence, it was a fact of life.

"I can't answer that, Rose. I believe no one can." Rose glared at him, so he was saying it was a part of being alive? That some people could have all the compassion in the world while others were so…so heartless?

"So it's just life? Just nature? No way to explain it? Is that what you're saying?" she spat, venom in the undertones of her voice. The Doctor's eyes were full of apathy and understanding, how many times had he asked himself those very questions? He nodded. Rose sighed, she needed to get off this stupid planet and get a strong drink! Seeing the exhaustion on her face; the Doctor gave her a small smile.

"Come on, Rose, I've think you've seen enough." He helped her out of her seat, throwing some money on the table. Rose silently nodded as she took hold of his hand. So tired and overwhelmed that she let him lead her through the crowds.

"Me too. This planet makes me feel so…so disgusting, dirty! I need a hot shower!" She shivered and rubbed one of her arms, the feeling of goose bumps running up and down her arm made her rub harder. The Doctor laughed, Rose shot him a look that only made him laugh harder.

"Rose Tyler, you are one of the strangest humans I have ever met!" Rose rolled her eyes, as the Doctor shifted her hand into his other, pulling her behind him. The roads became familiar again; they were heading towards the main gate.

"Let's just get back to the TARDIS. Go home and forget this place!" mumbled Rose under her breath, the Doctor smiled at her, he heard her. As they walked into the main square, the usual shouting and yelling had a more menacing tone to it.

Rose felt someone bump hard into her. She glared after the man, rubbing her shoulder. She could instant feel the tenderness under her hand, the Doctor was right, even a small bump would bruise easily. These people were strong. He wore a dark cloak and turned just briefly to look at her. Rose found herself momentarily shocked by his violently colored violet eyes. The instant their eyes met a deep sense of dread filled her soul. But she quickly forced it down and glared at him as he turned away.

"Are you alright?" asked the Doctor, following Rose's eyes to the man disappearing into the crowd. She rubbed her shoulder absentmindedly as she muttered,

"I'm fine." She felt the Doctor tighten his hold on her hand. Halfway across the square he stopped, Rose nearly bumped into him had she not caught herself at the last minute. The noise level suddenly rose from the normal din to an ear splitting level. Something had happened.

There was a sudden commotion from the left side of the square. There was shouting and cursing before the crowd jostled to see what was going on. The Doctor pulled Rose closer to him as the crowds pressed around them. The noise got louder and louder as Rose could see people pulling punches.

"A fight has broken out!" Rose shouted at the Doctor as the fight and the crowd began to create a cacophony of noise. The Doctor nodded, his eyes on the combatants. Gripping Rose's hand tightly, the Doctor tried to guide her out of the crowd. Suddenly the fighting turned from a few combatants to the entire square. People turned on each other faster than any fight Rose had seen before.

It was like a plague, quickly working from one side of the square to the other. For no reason whatsoever people turned on each other, punches, kicks, curses, screams and blood flying. Rose then tripped forward slightly when her legs got tangled up with someone else. Rose felt an arm slip around her shoulders to help steady her. She looked up to see the Doctor grinning down at her, his arm around her shoulders and they were nearly joined at the hip. He leaned in and said,

"Stay close." Rose nodded as she gripped the Doctor's hand tightly. Out of nowhere came a fist, a hard right hook that hit the Doctor in the face.

"DOCTOR!" screamed Rose as he fell backwards, loosing his grip on her hand. Rose tried to turn around to help him but with a few well placed shoves and tangles of legs that Rose tried to overcome, Rose's hand was torn away completely. The Doctor staggered to his feet, shaking the dizziness away as he rubbed his face.

"That was a hard right hook," he muttered under his breath, "Watch your head, Rose…" He looked beside him, expecting to see Rose panicking beside him, her liquid brown eyes wide with fear and her blonde hair nearly standing on end. Yet she was not there. He spun on the spot looking for her when he heard her voice.

"Doctor!" she cried, reaching towards him as she was pushed deeper into the sea of people, her flushed face standing out amongst the bright colors that surrounded her. The Doctor pushed his way forward, but found it was impossible. There were too many people and too many punches flying for him to get near her. She was drowning in a sea of people and he could not reach her.

"ROSE!" he shouted, but in a flash she had disappeared into the crowd. Rose was pushed left and right as she tried not become involved in the fight, trying to find a way out of the mass of bodies.

"Doctor? DOCTOR?" she cried out, looking all around for him. But he had vanished in the mass of people. Before she knew it, she was blindsided by a punch to the left side of her face. Staggering back, Rose ducked her head as she covered her head with her arms. She was pushed and shoved in every direction but upside down! Regaining her feet, Rose rubbed the side of her face. Rose staggered back, gingerly touching her jaw, feeling for breaks. Moving her jaw around, thankfully, it wasn't broken; it was probably a glancing blow. She rolled her eyes as she tried to make her way forward, this was probably going to hurt and bruise worse than her damn knees!

_Great_, Rose thought,_it__'__s __bloody __1851 __all __over __again._ Rose then tripped and fell, nearly hitting her head on the pavement; luckily she caught herself and forced herself back onto her feet. The experience in 1851 had taught her a lot about bar fights…well, fights in general that break out in public. One: never get involved if you must. Two: cover your head as best you can, punches can come from out of nowhere. The large, swelling bruise on her cheek was a sign of that advice! Three: try not to fall down, but if you do, get back up as fast as you can before you get trampled. And four: move to the outer edge and stay there until the fight ends. As Rose pushed her way towards the edge, dodging punches and trying to keep herself on her feet.

She finally came to a wall at the edge of the massive fight and pushed her way through. It was narrow and at times people bumped into her, but she backed into a nearby corner, wrapping her arms around her middle. Rose stood on her tiptoes, wishing she was taller, she could not see the Doctor anywhere! Nor could she hear him and he was pretty loud!

Rose decided it would be best to stay in this corner and try not to get involved. The massive fight reminded her of the time the Doctor took her to the United States in 1851 to enjoy an old styled western…Rose gave a grin, now that was a trip!

_The __TARDIS __jolted __to __a __halt __as __Rose __clung __to __the __edges __of __the __jump__ seat __as __the __Doctor __grinned __at __her __over __the __console.__ They__ had __played __their __usual __game__ of__ '__Pick __a __Trip__'__. __They__'__d __go __back __and __forth __between __the __two __of __them, __one __would __pick, __the __past __or __the __future __and __the __other__ would __select __the __planet __or __if __they __chose __to __remain__ on __Earth, __the __time frame. __Today __had __been __Rose__'__s __turn __to __choose __the __time frame; __when __she __was __younger, __she __had __always __enjoyed __American __western __films. __So__ Rose __decided __she __wanted __to __see __a__ real __western._

_ The Doctor flicked several buttons on the console as he doubled checked the timeframe screen, then with a loud, _

_ "HA!" Nearly bounced over to where Rose still sat in the jump seat. Rose grinned up at him as he helped her down. He was in quite the happy mood these days. A few weeks had passed since the Battle at Canary Wharf and the Doctor still could not believe that Rose had survived the battle and stayed with him. _

_Rose nearly had been lost to the Void, that still sent a tremor down the Doctor's spine at the thought. When one of the cranks that opened up the Void slipped, Rose bravely and stubbornly despite his pleas, let go of her magnetic clamp to fix it. _

_That nearly killed her. _

_Yet she was still here. Her determination to stay had paid off. _

"_We're here," said the Doctor brightly, taking Rose's hand. He opened the doors and bright sunlight flooded the TARDIS. Rose shut her eyes as she stepped outside. The instant she stepped outside she felt the unbearable heat and the dryness of the land lick at her skin. She could almost swear she tasted sand in her mouth. When her eyes adjusted, she gasped. _

_It was adorable! Something right out of the films her mum used to show her! The long dirt street with horses and carriages running up and down the streets. The wooden storefronts were dusty with time. The store signs swung lazily over head, the dull colored letters told of endless days in the blazing sun. Rose moved forward a little bit from the alley; she peered around the wooden storefront. She stood on the wooden fence before her, leaning over as far as she could to see. It was something out of a movie! _

_There was a saloon down the street, a single two-storied hotel, and a cute little chapel at the end of the town! The town was bustling with people, from simple farmers to fashionable ladies. Rose wondered what day it was; usually the local towns like this in the films would only be busy on the weekends, especially Sunday. _

_Rose danced on her tiptoes like a child on the narrow wooden fence. This was amazing! Would they see any gunfights? Good vs. evil at high noon? Though Rose highly doubted she'd see anything. If bullets started flying, the Doctor would swing her over his shoulder and run as fast as he could back to the TARDIS. Rose smirked at the thought. What else could they see? Fights? Romance? Rose crinkled her nose, nah that was Hollywood!_

_Men in cowboy hats and spurs, women in Victorian dress, with long sleeves and frills, the whole nine yards. Rose grinned, she felt sorry for the women! It was very hot; the sun was bearing down on them with not a cloud in sight. Rose fluffed out the sides of her dress, glad to be in her lightest summer dress! Victorian dress was great for the winter, but summer, not so much._

_Rose then felt something shoved onto her head, she looked over to see the Doctor had put a large sun hat on her head, while putting a cowboy hat on his own. Rose leaned over on the wooden railing, trying to see if the Doctor had a gun under his trench coat like the old cowboys._

"_You've got a gun?" she asked, grinning up at him. The Doctor tilted his cowboy hat down over his brow, giving her an annoyed stare. She smiled up at him, fiddling with her hat, pulling it off her head. He never carried a weapon other than his Sonic Screwdriver, he only believed in violence when necessary. She only said it to annoy him. _

"_This is my only weapon, ma'am," he said curtly, pulling his screwdriver out of his breast pocket, twirling it around with his fingers. Rose giggled as he winked at her. He reached out to snatch the hat he gave her out of her hands, smoothing it out. She noticed that it had a pink ribbon around it with a single pink rose to match her airy white and pink summer dress. He then rested the hat on Rose's head again._

"_A lady must not ruin her complexion." Rose grinned up at him as she rolled her eyes, shifting the sun hat stylishly to one side. _

"_I don't know Doctor…am I a lady or a Bad Wolf?" The Doctor laughed, as he tilted his hat towards her. He moved around the fence, Rose followed him; together they walked into the main street. It was quite a sight, a long stretch of wooden buildings, then flat, endless desert and plains._

"_Welcome to the United States of America, Rose Tyler! 1851, in the soon-to-be state of Texas, give or take a few years." Rose smiled at him, her energy just waiting to burst out! The Doctor offered her his arm, she looped her arm through his and they started to walk down the dirt road. _

_As they walked down the road, many people stared at them. Rose wondered if they should have dressed in clothes appropriate for the time. With his suit, trench coat and cowboy hat the Doctor looked like he belonged there. Her on the other hand, in showing her legs and elbows, she could be flirting with indecency! Rose's mind flickered back to their time in Scotland with Queen Victoria. At least she had been wearing tights then!_

_Many pairs of eyes fell onto Rose's short skirt and bare legs, yet Rose quickly found she did not care. The Doctor helped Rose up onto the wooden walkways. Groups of men passed them on the walkways, the men whistled and turned to see Rose walk pass. Their eyes instantly locked onto her legs. She smiled broadly as the men tipped their hats towards her saying,_

"_Ma'am."_

_The Doctor tucked Rose's hand tighter onto his arm, covering her hand with his. His sharp eyes glaring at the lewd looks the men sent Rose's way. Yet the men had turned away by the time the Doctor sent them the deadly look. Frowning he muttered,_

"_Maybe I should have brought a gun!" Rose smiled as she leaned her head against his shoulder. Always looking out for her amongst lewd men of any era, of any species. Yet Rose stuck her tongue out slightly, an amused thought climbing into her head. He was jealous…_

"_Oh, shh," said Rose softly, "They aren't hurting me! Besides, I thought the sonic was your gun." The Doctor made a noise in the back of his throat as they passed a group of men at the post office._

"_Hey, little lady, wanna get with a real man?"_

"_I'm sure glad I moved to Texas! This place is fine! Like you darlin'!"_

"_I bet those legs are great for barn dancin'!" _

_The Doctor nearly twisted around, opening his mouth to say something back at the 'gentlemen' when Rose clamped down on his arm and forced him to keep walking._

"_You'll just end up getting hurt," she said, pulling him along with her, "Besides, they are all talk."_

"_I don't care if they are all talk! They should not be addressing—" Rose grinned seeing the slight flush on his face as he shot the men a dirty look. He stopped as the men continued to stare at Rose and talk amongst themselves, forcing Rose to stop. Rose grinned at the venomous look crawling into his eyes; he looked like he was itching for a fight with those men. Rose grabbed his shoulders and turned him away from the men, forcing him to look at her. Rose stood up on her tiptoes so that only he could hear what she said next._

"—_I'd say Doctor," interrupted Rose, whispering into his ear, "If I did not know any better. I'd say you are jealous at all the attention I'm getting from other men." Out of the corner of her eye, Rose watched the color rise in his face as he promptly shut up. Grinning, Rose, tilted her hat just so, so that he did not see the wide grin on her face._

_For several hours, they moved from store to store, Rose admiring the wears. There was a few times she started going off about the films she had seen and the Doctor had to give her a look to silence her. As the sun shifted to about two o'clock in the afternoon, Rose sat down on a bench outside the post office. She was getting tired and thirsty, perhaps it was best to go back home. The Doctor leaned against a post, watching his companion. A brilliant idea sprang into his head._

"_Come on, Rose, let's get a drink." Rose looked up at him and smiled, taking his offered hand. As they walked only a few steps, they stopped in front of the saloon. Rose's eyebrows rose, the Doctor had been warding off perverted men all day and he was going to take her into a bar?_

"_Are you sure Doctor?" He nodded as he smiled at her, pulling her through the swinging double doors._

"_Ever had hard liquor before Rose?" Rose blinked, she drank every once and awhile with friends and coworkers, that was on weekends at the local pub. She only ever ordered ale or a glass of wine. Hard liquor—never. She merely shook her head, the Doctor gave her an excited grin, "You're going to love this." _

_The saloon was filled with men and women, but mostly men. They looked up to see who entered; many of the men's eyes went straight to Rose and her legs. The Doctor pulled her close, putting an arm around her waist, pulling her to the large wooden bar. The saloon smelled of tobacco smoke with the intermingling odor of cigar smoke and cheap perfume. Rose crinkled her nose as she tried not to cough._

_Several of the men wolf whistled and hollered at Rose as they passed, the Doctor send dark looks their way that instantly shut them up. Many were playing poker or some other forms of card games or talking. Rose saw the flash of numerous pistols in gun belts and lying on the tables in clear view. Hopefully, no gunfights would start in here. The Doctor settled Rose down on a bar stool and sat next her. The bartender gave them an odd look as Rose removed her sunhat and ran her fingers several times through her hair._

_She then reached over and snatched the Doctor's hat off his head; she burst out laughing to see he had terrible hat hair. _

"_Rose!" he groaned, running his hands over his hair to smooth it out, Rose grinned at him as she settled the cowboy hat down on the bar beside him._

"_Manners, Doctor," she said, shaking a finger at him like her mum used to do. The Doctor rolled his eyes as the barkeep, cleaning glasses as he went, approached them._

"_What will it be?" The Doctor grinned as he slapped down money for the time period on the bar saying,_

"_A bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses! One for me and the lady!" The barkeep's eyebrows shot up at the Doctor's enthusiasm as he scooped up the bill and grabbed two shot glasses from the counter behind him. Rose's eyes landed on the shot glasses then at the Doctor's face, oh boy…_

_The barkeep produced a small bottle of whiskey, which the Doctor then promptly yanked the top off of and poured out equal amounts of liquor for himself and Rose. Rose picked up her glass and held it at eye level. The liquor was amber looking with a tinge of dark brown at the lower half of the glass. She never had hard liquor before, her mum advised against it saying it was nasty and Tyler women could only take a glass full and they were out like a light! Rose lowered her glass to see the Doctor watching her._

"_Well?" she asked, raising her glass towards him. He grinned at her, raising his glass towards her, saluting her._

"_To you, Rose." Rose blinked._

"_To me? For what?" she asked, it wasn't her birthday…The Doctor's eyes softened as he smiled at her._

"_For staying with me." Rose then blushed as she grinned, clinking her glass against his. Rose then brought the glass up to her lips and took a small sip. She swallowed it down, then choked. Now she knew why her mum had warned her against the stuff! It was sharp and tangy, not in a good way! The liquid burned its way down her throat, making tears appear at her eyes and burning her nose. Choking Rose lowered the glass as she pinched her nose, coughing. The Doctor began to laugh loudly, slapping Rose hard on the back. Several people looked up from their card games and conversations to see what was going on. _

"_Oh come on, Rose. It's hard liquor, not some fancy cocktail! You're supposed to throw it back!" he said, watching her with an amused look on his face. Rose shot him a look as she banged her fist on the wooden bar._

"_I know that! It just tastes…" Rose then pulled a face as she tried to take another sip but found she did not have the nerve for it, "It's too…sharp…too…tangy…And it burns my nose." The Doctor smacked the bar with his hand and began laughing hysterically at his companion. Rose frowned at him; several of the men around them who had been listening to their conversation chuckled at Rose._

"_It seems the little lady, hasn't had a decent drink before!" Rose blushed as the men chuckled all sending her sympathetic looks._

"_Just throw it down, lass! The faster it goes the easier it is!" said one man, several tables away from them, giving her a grin. Rose gave him a small smile as the Doctor was bent double with laughter, his forehead pressed on the bar. Banging his fist lightly on the surface, trying to catch his breath in between laughs. Rose frowned at him; his glass was still full. Why didn't he drink?_

"_Alright, you bloody git!" she snapped, he looked up, still grinning madly. He bit his knuckles to silence his laughter, Rose's eyes flashed at him as she pushed his glass towards him, "If it's so easy, let's see you do it!" Swallowing down his last laugh, the Doctor smiled at his flustered companion._

"_Okay, Rose, watch and learn," he picked up the glass and tilted it towards her in a mock salute. Rose frowned, crossing her arms, tapping her fingers against the bar; waiting, "To you Rose." He deftly threw back the entire shot, drinking down the entire glass in one fluid motion. He pulled a face as the alcohol burned its way down his throat but he slammed the shot glass on the counter. The glass gave a sharp tap on the wooden surface as he raised both his arms up in a sign of triumph._

"_See? Easy. You're turn." Rose couldn't help but be amazed, blinking she looked back down at her glass. Picking it up, she brought it to her lips and tried again, only a small amount passed her lips before she swallowed down the small amount._

"_I—can't!" she coughed, the sharp liquor stinging her nose. The Doctor rolled his eyes as he reached across and pinched Rose's nose. Staring at him, she gave him an angry and confused look._

"_If your olfactory senses are cut off, you won't be able to taste the alcohol as much." Rose gave him a look as she said oddly,_

" '_Ow boes 'at 'elp?" The Doctor grinned, ah, another lesson for Rose Tyler._

"_Taste and smell are interconnected, that's why when you have a bad head cold you can't smell or taste anything properly. Now, buck up, and drink the whiskey." Rose swatted his hand off her nose, pinching her nose between her thumb and forefinger. _

"'_Eere it goes," Rose then threw back the whiskey, still pinching her nose. Strangely, the taste and burn wasn't as bad, Rose still pulled a face and after a few seconds, released her nose. The taste and burn came back with her nose no longer blocked, but it wasn't as bad. The Doctor gave Rose some applause, she scowled at him._

"_It's not that big of a deal!" The Doctor merely grinned at her; he was just about to say something when there was a scuffle, the sounds of numerous chairs screeching back on the wood floor falling over and loud, male voices cursing at one another. The two turned to see some men had gotten into a fight over a game of cards. One was accusing the other of cheating while the friends of the man accused of cheating, tried to defend him._

"_Oh boy," said the Doctor under his breath; alcohol and anger did not mix very well. Within seconds, the yelling turned into flying fists. People either moved away or moved in to see. The men tried to pull the combatants apart, but it did not work very well. Soon people, who had not been involved in the argument at all, were fighting as well. One guy accidentally hits a bystander, he gets mad, throws a punch, and his friends join in…_

_Within a space of seconds, a bar fight started up, the only thing missing was the peppy piano music in the background. The fight exploded across the bar, tables and chairs crashed to the floor. Shattered glasses, playing cards and guns fell to the floor. The Doctor knew he had to get Rose out of there before people starting pulling guns and someone would pull a gun…_

"_Come on, Rose, up you get," said the Doctor, climbing onto the bar, pulling Rose with him. The two sat on the bar, the Doctor surveyed the room, trying to find a way out. Rose meanwhile was enjoying herself. As much as she did not like fighting, the rough and tumble bar fight made her smile. The Doctor then grinned to himself as he spotted a way out and hopped down behind the bar. The barkeep was sitting on the floor already; he probably had seen enough of these to know what to do._

"_Can we get out?" asked the Doctor, yelling slight over the shouts, curses and shattering of objects. The barkeep raised an eyebrow at him._

"_Think not. It's best to wait it out. Wait it out and keep down. You better tell your girl that," said the barkeep, nodding his head in Rose's direction. Rose was still sitting up on the bar, a large grin on her face. The Doctor rolled his eyes; he thought Rose had followed him down behind the bar. He crawled over to her and poked his head up over the bar, shouting at Rose,_

"_Rose, get down! You'll get hurt!" Rose looked down at him and grinned, her nose crinkling as her eyes danced with humor._

"_It's okay, besides most of these men are so drunk they can't aim!" Rose then fiddled with the brim of her hat, before shoving the Doctor's forgotten cowboy hat onto his head. The Doctor scowled at her, as he reached up and grabbed her elbow, forcing her to look down at him again._

"_Drunk or not, a flying object still has a good chance of hitting you. Besides, it's the guns I'm worried about." Rose yanked her arm away then shrugged,_

"_They know not to pull guns in a crowded bar." The Doctor's scowl deepened._

"_I think not!" Rose merely ignored him as she absentmindedly swung her legs like a child over the bar's edge. Suddenly out of nowhere came a large glass mug. Rose didn't even see it until it was inches in front of her. Rose ducked just in the nick of time, the glass shattered on the shelf behind her, showering glass and alcohol on the Doctor below. The Doctor shook off the pieces of glass, but as more glasses shattered all around him, alcohol splashed onto him._

_With the alcohol dripping and splashing into his eyes, it made it harder for him to see. For a moment as his eyes watered, Rose was a blur of pink, still sitting on the bar. Rose sat stock still in shock, unable to believe that the heavy glass had nearly hit her in the head! Within seconds after the first one, glasses began to streak pass Rose, missing her by inches, yet she did not move, too afraid to do so._

_The Doctor cursed under his breath as he saw Rose still bolted to the bar, her knuckles white as she clenched the edges of the bar. The Doctor's hearts nearly leapt into his throat as he watched not one, not two, not three, but four heavy bar glasses fly pass Rose, mere inches from hitting her. The glasses shattered on the wall behind her, showering him in broken glass, The Doctor was then thankful Rose shoved the cowboy hat on his head. This way glass did not get into his eyes. He moved away slightly to avoid being rained on further by broken glass. _

_Without a word, the Doctor reached up and seized Rose about her waist. With a sudden and strong pull, he yanked her back behind the bar. Rose made a noise of protest but upon seeing the Doctor she relaxed. The Doctor hunched down on the balls of his feet as he motioned for Rose to do the same._

"_No aim, huh?" he asked, Rose merely sent him an apologetic look as the Doctor took her hand and they slowly moved down the bar. They kept their bodies low, hunched over as they stood up as best they could, trying to use the wooden bar as a shield. With too much glass on the floor, they moved slowly in their hunched, standing positions since they did not want to bloody their hands and knees by crawling on the floor._

"_You're crazy," muttered the barkeep, taking a small bottle of bourbon from the shelf beside him, taking a swig as Rose and the Doctor passed him. The Doctor and Rose both looked at each other and grinned as the Doctor said,_

"_The mad and crazy are what we live for!" The barkeep saluted them with the bottle of bourbon before he downed another large gulp._

"_Well…good luck to you both." When they reached the end of the bar, the Doctor held out a hand for Rose to stop. He slowly peered around the corner, checking to see if the way was clear. It was not. The Doctor frowned; it looked like they were going to have to fight their way out. With a sigh the Doctor turned to face a nervous Rose._

"_It__'__s__ not __smooth __sailing __Rose, __so __listen __to __me,__" __Rose __moved __closer __so __she __could __hear __him__ better __as __the __noise __level __increased,_

_"Number __one:__ never __get __involved__ if __you __must.__Two:__cover__y our __head __as __best __you __can, __punches __can __come __from __out __of __no where.__Three:__try __not __to __fall __down,__ but __if __you __do, __get __back __up __as __fast __as __you __can__ before __you __get __trampled. __Understand?__" __Rose __bit __her __lip __as __she__ nodded, __looping __her __fingers __with __the __Doctor__'__s __and __tightening __her __grip. __He __then __gave __her __a __soft __grin__ as __if __to __say,__ '__Let__'__s __go__'__. __The __Doctor __started __forward,__ pulling __Rose __with __him. __He __looped __his __free __arm__ around __her, __to __keep __her __close __and __to __protect __her._

_It was by sheer luck that the pathway to the exit became clear at that very moment, the Doctor dropped his arm around Rose's shoulders as he looked at her and shouted, _

"_RUN!" Rose tightened her grip again on the Doctor's hand as they raced down the opening between fighters to the doorway. Rose got shoved and punched a few times, but it did not faze her at all. The light from the door was like a beacon. Rose then mused to herself softly,_

"_And they say don't go towards the light," The Doctor pushed open the swinging doors and they were free. Yet with adrenaline and continuous movement, Rose and the Doctor still ran even once they were out of harms way._

_The Doctor shot Rose a grin as she laughed as they ran hand in hand down the dirt road towards the TARDIS—_

A sudden cry of pain pulled Rose away from her thoughts. She turned to see two guards beating up a young man. The same young man who had bumped into Rose before! They were trying to subdue him, forcing him to the ground. One guard stabbed the man with an electric pike. The poor man screamed as the other guard, pressed his knee hard into the man's spine.

"Please—I'm not—Stop!" The young man was not even putting up a struggle against the guards. Rose stared; why were they were taking down a man who was not even fighting? He was not even fighting back against the guards. Red flashed over her eyes for a second, her hands balled into fists. How dare they? Could they not see he was not fighting them or anyone else at all? Just an innocent bystander caught up in this chaos?

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" shouted Rose, throwing all her pent up rage and anger towards the men. They stared at her, their eyes flickering between her and the man on the ground. Rose raised her head, as if daring them to hit her. One of the guards approached her, Rose shifted slightly but kept her wide stance in order to keep herself from panicking. Her eyes flickered left and right, where was the Doctor? Was she about to be beaten to death because she had the guts to stand up for an innocent man?

"We are merely trying to break up the fight miss, please step aside," said the guard politely, yet there was a clear threat in his tone. Rose shook her head, she would not see these…these animals who called themselves defenders of the people beat another man senseless today. She would not allow it.

"By beating up a man who is merely trying to get away? I don't think so. If you strike me, I assure you that there will be terrible consequences!" The guard surveyed her, Rose's eyes narrowed when she met his neon green ones. He knew she was not from this world and he knew he did not want to start something with another planet.

The guard then made a motion to his comrade who lowered his pike, turned and disappeared into the crowd. The guard approached Rose, looming over her. Rose felt herself flush with fear, yet the Bad Wolf inside her burned with rage. The guard then grabbed Rose by her jacket collar. Rose gave a squeak of shock as she felt herself being lifted off the ground.

"We do not like foreigners interfering with our business, girl. So be warned, take your little friend and leave, before I do something I might regret!"

"Don't you dare threaten her!" shouted the man as he staggered to his feet, wiping the blood away from his lip, "She was merely trying to help!" The guard shot the man a look,

"Be quiet, boy!" The man straightened his spine and reached for the guard's hand holding Rose's collar. Before Rose could tell him to back off, he had tried to wrench the guard's hand away from Rose's collar.

"That is no way to treat a lady," he said, his violet eyes becoming narrow slits. The guard pulled his hand away and pulled out a gun. Rose's eyes widened as the young man removed his hand from the guard's wrist and slowly backed away, raising his hands up in submission. The man's eyes flickered between Rose and the gun. Rose gritted her teeth, wanting nothing more to tell the stupid bastard to leave!

"Don't worry about me," she shouted, giving him an encouraging smile, before turning back to the guard, her eyes narrowing in anger, "Don't you dare shoot him!" The guard grinned at Rose, leering in her face. Rose then noticed one feature she had not taken note of before. Andorrans had sharp canine teeth, almost like a dog or a vampire. That alone added the menacing look on the guard's face.

"You have no authority over me, bitch!" Rose's eyes narrowed even further as a deep seeded anger began to build up inside her. She was unaware, but the Bad Wolf was manifesting itself. The powers the Doctor had seen earlier that day were starting to appear. Rose watched as the guard's face pulled away from hers in horror as her eyes changed from brown to gold. Power flared from her eyes as a gold silhouette covered her body. The hands trying to pry the guard's hand from her collar glowed brightly with a white-gold power.

Suddenly the guard howled with pain as he dropped Rose, her feet slamming onto the ground. Rose saw his hands were burned, badly burned. To her they looked like third degree burns with even some stark, white bone popping out between the layers of skin and muscle. Rose winced as she covered her nose as the smell of burnt flesh hit her nose. With her anger fading, the power instantly faded as fast as it came. But what she could not see was her eyes; the power had faded from her body but not her eyes. They still glowed gold with power as the guard stared in horror at her.

"Leave. _Now_!" said Rose, her entire form shaking with anger and fear, the guard stumbled backwards, his neon green eyes wide with fear. Shaking from head to toe, he fled, never looking back at Rose or the man. Rose closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She then turned to face the man she saved; he too was staring at her in horror and awe.

"What?" she asked, the gold color finally fading from her eyes. The man blinked several times as his mouth opened and closed like a fish on dry land. Rose put her hands on her hips as she waited for a thank you. A grin appeared on her face, he probably was shocked that he was just saved by a human…and a girl. He kept staring at her; his eyes moving up and down her body, Rose blushed. She finally cleared her throat as his violet eyes met hers.

"Well?" The man shook his head and cleared his own throat, before asking,

"Who _are_ you?"

_Note: Well, well, well, Rose can kick ass and take names huh? The Bad Wolf is here to stay! HA! Also, what's up, people in Texas? You're in Doctor Who!_


	9. Chapter 9

Please Review! The faster the reviews are, the faster the post!

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it is owned by the lovely BBC!

**Chapter 8: Howell**

Rose scoffed, what, no thank you? No, 'I'm sorry for bumping into you earlier?' 'You were so brave?' Had he been a normal human Rose would have just turned around and walked away, but not knowing if he'd take offense to that, she merely said,

"I'm Rose Tyler, I'm just passing through." The man stepped closer to her, his violet eyes wide with wonder. Rose in turn, took a step back; did these people have no concept of personal space? Rose raised her chin and met his violet colored eyes; she was not going to be scared of him. The man's violet eyes roamed her face with wonder; she flushed as his eyes surveyed her body up and down. Twice. When his eyes met hers again, he seemed speechless, but breathlessly asked,

"What planet are you from?" Rose rolled her eyes; did this guy have any manners? She crossed her arms over her chest as she shifted her weight from her right leg to her left leg as she sighed,

"Earth." The man's eyes lit up with curiosity, but then he did something she did not expect. He gave her a solemn bow, pressing his right hand at his heart. Rose blinked it looked like some form of a formal court bow. Her eyebrows rose, who was this guy? The man then reached out and Rose hesitantly gave him her hand. He brought it up to his lips, kissing it, while breathing in the scent of her skin. The moment he released it, she tugged it away as gently as she could. She rubbed her kissed hand silently behind her back on the back of her jacket.

"Thank you, Rose Tyler of Earth. I am Howell." Rose blinked, that was an interesting name. And she thought Ion's name had been the most interesting one she heard so far, "What strange powers do you possess?" Rose stared at him in confusion as her eyes followed the path the escaping guard took. Rose then remember through her haze of anger that the guard's hands had been burned—burned when she touched him. She had burned him? That had been her? No wonder he ran away scared. Rose looked down at her hands, what on earth was happening to her?

"I—I don't know," she said softly, still looking down at her hands, turning them this way and that. Her hands looked as they always had been. Howell stared at her in confusion, then started to laugh. It was a loud, ringing laugh, some of the other fighters around them turned and stared.

"Don't know your own strength, do you? Rose Tyler of Earth?" Rose stared up at him for a moment, then she smiled at him, he wasn't such a bad guy after all. Rose shook her head, raising a hand to stop him.

"Just Rose, please." Howell's eyes softened as he took a step towards her, until he loomed over her. Rose heard herself swallow loudly. He was quite tall, taller than the Doctor. Howell took her hand again and covered it with both his hands. Gratitude and something else lingered in his eyes.

"Rose…" Rose suddenly felt very uncomfortable and took another step away from him. As she stepped back, a rogue kick headed her way she did not see it. Howell's eyes narrowed as he yanked her forward, pulling her to him. He stepped back with lighting speed back towards the wall, his eyes on the person who threw the kick the entire time. Rose turned to see the offending person over compensate the speed of his kick and promptly fell backward. Rose felt her breath hitch for a moment. That could have hit her; it could have badly injured her or worse.

"Thanks," she said to Howell, who was now looking down at her. She gently pulled away from him, gingerly checking for any new injuries. Surprisingly, Howell had been quite gentle with her. Howell winked.

"No problem."

A loud bell then struck, it was so loud, Rose had to cover her ears. Many people around them did the same thing, ducking, covering their ears. The fighting had stopped, as the bell continued to ring, people began to disperse with the 'help' of the guards. Rose wondered if this was Andorra's version of riot control, only minus the pepper spray and rubber bullets. The bell finally stopped sounding, Howell removed his hands from his ears then gave Rose a nod. She hesitantly removed her hands, the bell had stopped, yet her ears continued to ring.

People were starting to leave the square, making it easier to see. Rose once again stood on her tiptoes next to Howell as she looked for the Doctor. Left and right she looked, but she could not see him. She started to jump up and down to try and see over the heads of the people in front of her. Howell smirked as he watched her, she kept trying to jump higher and higher, yet her human legs could only jump so high, for so long. Out of breath, she stood on her tiptoes again.

Howell raised an eyebrow at Rose; she must be looking for something or someone. When Rose drifted slightly to the left, Howell reached out and grabbed her arm to hold her steady. Rose gave him a thankful look as she lowered herself briefly back onto the flats of her feet. Once again she stood up on her tiptoes as the setting sun cast a blood red glow over the square.

"Did you loose someone?" he asked gasping slightly when Rose rested her hand on his arm to steady herself. Rose saw the concerned look he gave her out of the corner of her eye. Listening and looking as hard as she could, she only nodded in return. People were now dispersing in all directions while the guards were arresting the men who had started the fight. After several more minutes, Rose lowered herself to the ground again. Howell did not remove his hand from her arm, Rose did not notice. She was worried about where the Doctor had disappeared to.

"Rose?" asked Howell, Rose's eyes snapped away from the square to look at Howell. It was then she realized he was still holding onto her arm, her eyes dropped to his hand still on her arm. Howell dropped her arm, looking away.

"My friend, I lost my friend in the crowd," said Rose softly, wringing her hands. She was starting to worry, had he been badly injured and taken away? Had he been trampled by the massive crowds or…? Rose squeezed her eyes shut as numerous images of what could have happened to him flashed over and over again in her mind.

"I'm sure he just got lost," said Howell, watching Rose as her face tightened in pain as she shut her eyes. She bit her lip in turn and shook her head, trying to dispel the images in her head.

"I'm just afraid he's hurt…that he's hurt and needs me…" Rose then felt a large, warm hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes as she turned to see Howell softly looking at her.

"I'm sure he's fine. If he's as strong as you, he'll be fine. He'll turn up, Rose. You'll see." Rose kept looking as the crowds thinned out, her ears pricking at the slightest noise. She wanted to call his name but didn't want to attract any more attention to herself. She had done enough of that today. As the sunset lower and lower over the city walls, washing the square with deeper red light Rose's fears mounted.

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as the sun set fully in the distance as lavender and dark blue began to ink the sky. The clock tower boomed the hour, Rose could not tell what time it was. All she knew was that the sun had fully set, it was dark, she was with a stranger, on a strange planet, and the Doctor was nowhere in sight. Rose felt her stomach clench tightly as the fear mounted inside her. The square was now clear and every-once-in-awhile someone would walk by. They'd look at Howell and Rose strangely, as if wondering what an Andorran and a human were doing alone there. Rose's mouth went dry as she rubbed her arms in comfort; the air was getting cold.

Howell watched the panic and fear creep into her brown eyes. He frowned, how could someone leave this—this beautiful creature here all by herself? The more Howell watched her, the more beautiful she became. Thoughts started to turn over in his head, this strong willed, beautiful human was lost, if her friend did not show up soon maybe he could take her home…They could search for this friend, in the morning…A sly grin played across his face…

"Rose." Her head snapped up to look at Howell, his eyes scanning for the Doctor, "This guy you're—ah—you're friend—Does he leave you like this all the time? It's getting dark and if you can't—" Rose frowned, how dare he say that! The Doctor would never leave her! Especially on a foreign planet that was hostile to foreigners.

"Never! The Doctor would never leave me here!" Howell's head turned sharply at the Doctor's name, his violet eyes narrowing. Rose could have sworn she saw malice and hate in his eyes, but it came and went so quickly she was not sure. The inky blue color had now faded from the sky; the sky was now a deep black with hints of lavender. The stars started to dot the sky as the planet's three moons rose in the northeast. Rose's heart sank, where could he have gone? Back to Ion's? Maybe she should head that way, Rose took a step forward but found Howell had a gentle grip on her arm.

"Wait, I'm sorry…I just…I'm just worried, I know I just met you, but…" he stuttered as a street light above them suddenly lit, showing the fear for her on his face. Rose frowned, what was he doing? Was he trying to hit on her or something? Her eyes landed once again on the hand he had on her wrist. When would he learn?

"Let go, please," she asked a warning flashing through her eyes. Howell loosened his grip and dropped his hand to his side. Rose gave him a thankful smile as she nodded to him. She began to move forward again, hoping her memory served her right. Howell's eyes widen, she was going to wander the city alone? Was she crazy? Thugs, criminals and low lives lived here. She could get hurt or even killed.

"Where are you going? The city is dangerous at night!" Rose raised an eyebrow at him; the only danger this part of the city showed her so far were the guards, everything else seemed fine.

"I'm going to look for the Doctor. We visited an old friend of his this afternoon. I'm going to start looking there." Rose swung around again and started to walk down the road to her left, but she did not get far. She heard someone following her; Rose stopped under a nearby street lamp and turned. Howell was following her. Rose sighed, couldn't he take a hint?

"What?" she yelled, throwing her hands up into the air with exasperation, "What? Why are you following me?" Howell stopped a few feet away from her, straightening his spine and raising his head.

"If you insist on looking for this guy. Then I will accompany you until you find him. If you cannot, I request that you stay at my place until tomorrow." Rose had to admit it was a tempting offer. Who knows what could be lurking in the shadows of this unfamiliar city, she could see honesty in Howell's eyes. Rose surveyed him again, he was just trying to help, and she could sure need the protection and assistance. Yet, every time she looked at him, uneasiness filled her heart and made her stomach clench with fear. Rose sighed, pushing her fears aside and smiled at him.

"Alright, Howell, you have yourself a deal." Rose then turned around and started to walk away, shoving her hands into her pockets. She missed the large smile that appeared on Howell's face as well as the smirk that followed it.

She was his…Rose was his…

He hurried alongside of her as they continued to walk down the winding roads. Rose stopped every once in awhile to check to see if they were going in the right direction, but soon she was hopelessly lost.

"Where is the Doctor when I need him?" she muttered under her breath, leaning against a nearby wall, as she stamped her foot in frustration. Howell's eyes narrowed, she never did answer his question. This Doctor…who was he? Was he the one who had assisted those rebels centuries ago? Before he was even born?

"Rose…this Doctor, who is he? What's his name? Doctor who? What is he a doctor of?" asked Howell as he leaned against the wall next to Rose. Rose surveyed him; there was something in Howell's eyes that Rose did not like. Rose shrugged it off; it probably was the light from a nearby street lamp and storefront signs.

"He's just the Doctor," she said simply, briefly glancing up at the planet's three waning moons. What she did not see in those brief seconds was the look that flashed through Howell's eyes. His eyes narrowed in brief suspicion. No, it was not possible, that was centuries ago. It could not be the same man, unless…

"The Doctor? That's it? That's his name?" he asked, trying to control the mounting anger in his voice. Surely it could not be! Rose looked at Howell, his face was impassive, yet Rose's heart clenched as she sensed hostility coming from him, so she spoke carefully.

"That's it, Howell. Just the Doctor." When Rose looked away at the sound of footsteps, only to see it was a couple out on an evening stroll, Howell grimaced. It had to be him; there was no other way! But how could that be? His father told him that all the Time Lords had died during the last Time War. How could he have survived?

"The Doctor, is he a Time Lord?" asked Howell slowly, hiding his shaking right hand behind his back. Rose's head whipped around at his question, Howell smiled softly, her face said it all. So…this was the Doctor from all those centuries ago the bastard who made his grandfather—Whose planet had interfered where they should not have! Rose's face instantly formed into a calm mask, but the fear and shock in her eyes gave her away.

"Why do you ask?" she asked, her eyes narrowing at his question. Howell smiled, so this Doctor was a Time Lord! This had to be the Doctor who helped insight the rebels against—Rose frowned, she could see a look of anger forming on Howell's face, "What's wrong?" she asked, wondering if it had anything to do with how she had spoken to him before. She was a bit brash, yet her mind was screaming it was not about her, it was about the Doctor.

Howell blinked as he looked at Rose's confused face. He had to stop getting upset; he would not give himself away. He needed Rose; he did not need to scare her off. A beauty such as Rose should not be in the company of that—that—Howell breathed in a deep breath to calm himself. He had to think. If Rose was a companion of this Time Lord, he needed not to make her suspicious. If he did so, surely as soon as they found him, Rose would tip him off. Howell just shrugged, trying to look indifferent.

"Just curious. I've heard about the Time Lords from the history books. I thought they'd all died out during the Time War." Rose's eyes narrowed as she watched Howell turn and walk away, what was he going on about?

"I don't like your tone," she said sharply, Howell stopped under a street sign. When he turned around to face her, he merely shrugged again. He had to keep calm if he wanted Rose to lead him to the Time Lord. Rose's eyes flashed when he shrugged at her. She marched over to him, anger in her eyes. Stopping mere inches from him she pointed her finger in his face, growling,

"What is it to you? Hmm? It sounds like to me that you don't like the Doctor, or is it just Time Lords in general? What is your problem?" Howell frowned, he had been too angry at the mention of the Time Lord. He had to back up and make Rose not so suspicious of him. He sighed, leaning against the wall, the dark hiding him. Rose stood there with her arms crossed, waiting.

"I don't hate the Time Lords," said Howell softly, "I was just curious. My father told me many stories about them and since Gallifrey was destroyed…" He looked up at Rose, his eyes soft; "I only want answers." Rose's tense form relaxed as she gave him a hint of a smile.

"Well, if you have questions, when you meet the Doctor you can question him yourself. Now, come on, lazy, let's go find him." Rose turned around and began to walk forward, but after a few moments she realized that Howell was not following her. She turned to face him, hands on her hips as she shouted, "Well? Come on!"

Howell slowly moved out from the shadows, an absolute look of awe on his face as he stared at Rose. She raised an eyebrow at him as she asked,

"What? What's wrong?" She moved forward just slightly, instantly regretting her decision. Howell felt his heart freeze for a second and he stopped breathing. When Rose stepped towards him, with a look of concern on her face, he felt himself drowning in her beauty. In the light of Andorra's three moons, Rose looked like a goddess to him. The most beautiful creature he had ever seen in his life! She had been beautiful to him before, but in the soft moonlight…He slowly walked towards her.

"What?" she asked again, turning to look behind her, no one was there, "What is it?" When she turned around, Howell was looming over her again. The look in his eyes was the thing that made her step back, but Howell stopped her, grasping her shoulders. The way Howell looked at her was the way one looked upon seeing the sun for the first time after years in darkness, utter bliss. Rose felt a lump gather in her throat. This was not good…

"You…you are so beautiful…Rose…" Rose flinched slightly as Howell reached out to touch her blonde hair shimmering white in the moonlight. It made her look like she was surrounded by a halo. The moonlight made her pale round face shimmer like starlight, making the slight blush on her face seen brighter, "You are like a goddess, shimmering with starlight and moonlight. You are the most elegant creature I have ever seen." Howell gushed, pulling Rose closer to him. Her brown eyes flashed nervous energy, yet to Howell her eyes were sparkling with some unknown force.

"Thank you…" said Rose slowly, trying to gently wriggle herself out of his grasp. In response, he only tightened it. Now Rose was starting to panic, but she did not let her face nor her eyes show it, "But…can you please let me go?"

Howell brushed a strand of hair out of Rose's eyes. Rose began to struggle against him, harder and harder, but it made no difference. He was stronger than she was. Rose winced, his grip was tight and she was sure she'd be black and blue all over in the morning. Wincing Rose, pulled back her hand, formed a fist, and punched Howell as hard as she could. It worked, a little bit, Howell pulled away for a second, his eyes glinting at her. Rose felt her stomach drop as she thought, _Oh __Doctor, __where __are __you? __I__ need __you!_

"Well, my dear Rose, you are a fighter!" When momentarily stunned by her punch, Rose pulled out of Howell's arms, yet he still had managed to hold onto her wrist.

"How dare you—I am _not_ your Rose!" Howell grinned at Rose as if to tell her she was wrong. Tears formed in her eyes, where was the Doctor? Why hadn't he come? Rose heard footsteps behind them and a voice that made her heart soar.

"I would kindly request you get your hands off of Rose. _Now_!" the voice growled in a deadly tone that warranted no question. Howell looked up and released Rose as he stared at the figure in shock. She turned around and emerging from the shadows, his Sonic Screwdriver pointed at Howell, a deadly look on his face was…

"_Doctor!"_

_Note: Howell, you'd better run pal, cause here comes the Doctor. He's gonna kick your ass for hitting on his Rose!_


	10. Chapter 10

Please Review! The faster the reviews are, the faster the post!

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it is owned by the lovely BBC!

**Chapter 9: Jealousy, Nightmares and Flirtation**

_Note: *__grabs my army helmet again__* Oh boy…Two guys +one girl =Fight! This could get ugly; a jealous Doctor is not good. *__grabs my Sonic Screwdriver*__ Okay, I'm ready, hopefully you are too!_

She was gone…Rose was gone. Within a blink of an eye, she had disappeared into the crowd.

"ROSE!" shouted the Doctor, staring at the spot on which she disappeared. The Doctor moved forward, trying to follow her. That was impossible. He quickly found himself being pulled left and right as he tried to fight the crowd. It was like a brick wall, the more and more he pushed, the more and more harder it got. Growling under his breath, he knew he could not follow her. He had to get out of this tangled mess and try to find her by other means.

With his face still throbbing with the bruise that yanked him away from Rose, the Doctor moved towards the edge of the massive sea of people. Gasping, he finally made it out of the mass of people. He managed to get through with very little injuries. He leaned over, grasping his knees as he steadied himself with deep breaths. After calming himself down, he stood up straight, determined to find Rose.

The Doctor slowly made his way around the massive crowd, standing on his tiptoes to see over the heads of the fighting Andorrans. The Doctor bit his lip, he was tall, but Andorrans were taller than he was. Some were even a head higher than he was. The Doctor cursed under his breath as he lowered himself back onto the flats of his feet. What in Rassilon's name had started this fight? The Doctor shook his head, in such a corrupt society any one little thing could set off a fight as massive as this!

He wondered how and why it had started, but he shoved those questions to the back of his mind. He had to find Rose. He prayed that she was not hurt. His eyes flickered to the right; he saw a large street lamp.

"Perfect," he muttered under his breath, smiling, being thankful that it was tall and large. He could use it to look for the briefest glimpse of his companion. The Doctor pushed his way through the crowd to reach the street lamp. Planting his foot onto the narrow ledge of the streetlamp and heaved himself up. It was an instant difference. The Doctor could see over the tall Andorrans and farther into the crowd. Yet the difference in height could only do so much. He still could not see everything; he needed to be on a building for that.

The Doctor frantically scanned the crowd for Rose. The violence had increased in volume, he could see people staggering out of the crowd bloodied and bruised. Upon seeing the bloodied and bruised Andorrans, his hearts squeezed. He was very worried, one well placed punch or kick could knock out his poor Rose! Worse than that she could get trampled while unconscious or even worse she could bleed internally and die before he had a chance to find her. He squeezed his eyes shut as the image of her dead body floated over his mind. No! She was strong! Stronger than he realized! During the Battle at Canary Wharf, she had proven that she was a stronger person than he thought! Gritting his teeth, forcing his thoughts of Rose bloodied, bruised…_dead_…out of his mind.

"ROSE?" he shouted over the crowd, he kept shouting until he was close to loosing his voice. As much as he searched for a flash of blonde hair or her bright blue jacket, he could not see her. Frustrated he jumped down from his perch; he ran his fingers through his hair, absolutely frustrated with himself and this damn planet! He never should have brought her here.

Not giving up, he slowly moved around the massive crowd. Time seemed to tick by slow, which for him was a rare thing as he fought to find her. With each passing minute, his fears mounted. The sun was setting, drenching the square in red light, an omen. A bell then chimed the hour, much louder than usual. As the Doctor covered his ears he saw a large group of soldiers starting to break up the fight. People either fled or walked away with ease as if nothing had ever happened.

Without realizing it until it was too late, he was being swept away with the fleeing crowds. At first he struggled against them, but it was like fighting against the massive waves of the universe's fiercest oceans. Tired, he could not fight against the tide of people and was swept along with everyone else. He kept looking all around him for any sign of Rose, his hearts sank, where was she?

The Doctor was swept farther and farther away from the main square, deeper into the heart of the city. The amount of people surrounding the Doctor faded as people swept away from the main crowd, left and right. The Doctor finally moved away from the crowd, ducking into an alleyway. With a sigh, he leaned against the nearby wall rubbing his face as he groaned. He had no idea where he was currently, unsure if he could make his way back to the main square from here.

The Doctor poked his head around the corner; the street was not as populated as it had been. Perfect. The Doctor then moved quickly, nearly running up the cobbled streets. The sun was setting in the east, causing gold and orange light to flash brightly over the city. It would soon be dark, if Rose had been pulled away like he had been, she could be anywhere in this city. He clenched his hands into fists as he forced down his self-hatred, if she was lost…if she was hurt…or worse, he'd never forgive himself. Despite Rose's strong character, he was still responsible for her. He promised he'd take care of her.

The sun had fully set and the sky became inky black by the time the Doctor had made it back to the main square. Upon seeing it, he ran towards it as fast as his legs could carry him. Upon entering the square, the Doctor spun on the spot, nearly falling to the ground as he looked around. Desperate, he shouted, his voice cracking,

"ROSE WHERE ARE YOU?" His voice echoed around the square bouncing back at him off the walls. The square was empty; there was no one there, just a few passersby who stared at the Doctor oddly. His own echoing voice mocked his fear and desperation. Breathing hard, the Doctor nearly collapsed, the nagging fear that he tried to force back coming through with a sharp sting. Where was she? Where was she? Biting his lip, he forced himself onward he couldn't quit!

He curved left and right down the narrow streets, his eyes turning at even the briefest flash of gold. His ears listen for Rose's voice and her all too familiar accent. Where could she have gone? The only place that she knew she was safe was at Ion's…

"Ah! That's it!" he shouted, attracting some of the locals to look at him oddly. Some even skirted around him like he was a mad man when he stopped dead in the middle of the street. The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the tension drain out of him. Rose could have gone to Ion's! Yes, perfect!

"That's my girl," he said softly, looking up at the stars and the Andorran moons, smiling as if Rose was just next to him.

The Doctor moved forward, hoping that Rose was at the safety of Ion's shop. His musings were suddenly snapped by a loud cry. Knowing someone was in trouble, the Doctor took off sprinting, reaching into his trench coat pocket for his Sonic Screwdriver. He ran down several small roadways and alleys, the voices growing louder, they were male and female. As he swung around the corner onto the main street of the city, he nearly tripped over his own feet in his haste. There under a streetlamp stood Rose, struggling relentlessly against a man who was holding her against her will. She was putting up quite a good fight, trying to remove her wrist from the Andorran's grip.

"—I am _not_ your Rose!" she growled quietly, so quietly that the Doctor barely managed to catch her words. The Andorran smiled as he tried to pull Rose towards him again. Rose winced at the man's grip and when she turned her head, he saw a clear black and blue bruise on her cheek. In that moment the Doctor's world went red, his hands shaking with rage. He quietly walked up behind them and raised his screwdriver, aiming for the face of the man. Keeping his anger in check, his voice low he said,

"I would kindly request you get your hands off of Rose. _Now_!" The Andorran looked up at him, his violet eyes wide in shock, releasing Rose. Rose turned to face him, her eyes shined with happiness the moment she saw him.

"Doctor!" The Doctor watched the Andorran with sharp eyes as he slowly walked towards Rose. Rose looked down; Howell's hand was no longer clinging desperately to her wrist. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Doctor slowly walking towards her, his sonic pointed right at Howell's still stunned face. Rose spun around faster than she ever thought possible and sprinted towards the Doctor.

"H-hey—Rose!" shouted Howell, breaking out of his state of shock. He reached forward for Rose to grab her left wrist, but by the time he did so she was out of his reach. The Doctor moved forward swiftly, meeting Rose halfway. He reached out for her with his spare hand, his eyes still on the Andorran. Rose smiled the moment she collided with him.

The Doctor felt her wrap her arms around his upper torso; he latched his free arm around her waist, pulling her close. He could breathe easy now, Rose was safe in his arms. Rose buried her face into the groove between his neck and shoulder, happy to be safe in his arms. He looked down at her, feeling her warm breath on his neck, he could see the dark bruise on her face more clearly now. His anger began to build again as he surveyed her. There were bruises on her wrist, how many other injuries she had, he had no clue, but that could come later. Now that she was safely in his arms, he turned his attention to the Andorran.

"Who are you? Why were you holding Rose against her will?" The Andorran straightened his spine as he glared daggers at him.

"I am Howell and who are you Time Lord to question me?" Howell moved forward, his stance tense, ready for a fight. How dare this Time Lord—

The Doctor made a noise in the back of his throat as his eyes widened at Howell, how did he…?

"I'm sorry Doctor," said Rose, she clutched tightly onto his trench coat, turning to look at Howell with a glare, "I let it slip." Howell gave a wicked smile as his eyes rested on the Doctor's face. So, the Time Lord did not expect to be recognized by Howell, huh?

"We were having quite a pleasurable conversation before you so rudely interrupted us. Weren't we, Rose?" asked Howell, with a smug look on his face. Rose frowned at Howell; her left wrist was starting to throb in pain from Howell's tight grip. She was pretty sure if she pulled her jacket aside, she would see a bruise forming.

"No," spat Rose, making the smug look drop from Howell's face, "We weren't!' Howell's eyes flash as the smug look came back in a flash as he grinned at her, baring his canine like teeth.

"Why were you holding Rose against her will?" the Doctor asked again, his voice rising in anger. Howell did not answer, his eyes on Rose, the Doctor gently pushed Rose behind him. It was probably for the best if he moved them both away from Howell. He did not like the look in Howell's eyes and he did not know what he was capable of.

He leveled his screwdriver at him as he slowly walked backward with one arm thrust up before Rose. Ready to snatch her away and run if Howell attacked them. The couple backed up slowly, Howell's smile widened at the Time Lord's caution.

"I was not holding her against her will," snapped Howell, his smile widening when the Time Lord took another step back and forced Rose to come with him, "She could have left at any time." Rose glared at him as she snapped,

"That's a lie and you know it! I asked you to let me go!" Howell surveyed Rose as she glared at him, a rosy flush filling her soft face. Howell watched her with wonder, his desire for her increasing. Andorrans could not blush and the effect on Rose was electrifying to Howell. In a daze he stared at her, Howell was then snapped away from Rose's gaze as the Time Lord's voice came in between them.

"Why were you with her? Were you stalking her?" Howell rolled his eyes, these Time Lords assumed to know everything. Rose then gently yanked on the Doctor sleeve and said,

"We met in the square Doctor—"

"—She saved my life," interrupted Howell coolly, with a shrug. The Doctor growled as he clenched his teeth, he reigned in his anger as he tried not to punch the smug look off this guy's face. He then turned his attention back to Rose.

"He was being attacked by guards. I saved him…I think…"

"So that gives you the right to hold her against her will?" he asked, lowering his sonic just slightly. Howell opened then closed his mouth as the Doctor's words circled around in his head. He then groaned as he ran his hand over his face. No, no that was not his intent, the stupid Time Lord. Trying to make him look like a—a pervert! Howell glared at the Doctor.

"No! I was just trying—I was—I was escorting Rose. To find _you_, I might add!" The Doctor's eyes narrowed, he could see the truth of that in Howell's eyes. Yet he looked at Rose who nodded in compliance with his statement.

"He offered to escort me through the city when I could not find you in the square after the fight." Howell raised his chin smugly at the Doctor; he was being a gentleman, guiding a lost lady through these dangerous streets.

"Unlike you, Time Lord, who leaves her—_abandons_ her in the middle of a large, brutal fight with no protection or guide. I was trying to help her." The Doctor's eyes flashed as red came over his vision again. How dare he! How dare he accuse him of abandoning Rose! He'd never abandon her. Never, never, never! Shaking with rage, the Doctor tried to keep his voice calm.

"First, _Howell_," growled the Doctor, his whole body shaking with rage, "We got separated in the fight! I was swept away as was she! Second, I'd never—_ever_—abandon Rose! _Never!_ I'd _die _first!" Howell smirked as his violet eyes flashed as a sinister thought entered his head: _That could be arranged._

"I was merely trying to be a gentleman," said Howell, bowing slightly, making the Time Lord growl at him, his brown eyes flashing with anger. Howell merely smirked. His violet eyes then landed on Rose's face, shock ran through him as her beautiful eyes narrowed at him in anger and suspicion.

"You were flirting with me, you jerk! You tried to kiss me! You were certainly not being a gentleman," she said coolly, her penetrating glare still fixed on him. Howell felt himself stripped bare at her gaze as his mind rewound back to his earlier actions. He could not deny her words. It was true, he was flirting with her and he had tried to kiss her. Shaking his head, Howell wondered what spell this…this gorgeous creature had placed on him. His mouth opened and closed several times as he tried to find an explanation for his behavior.

"You are right, Rose," he then gave her a stiff bow, averting his gaze. His heart stung with an unfamiliar pain, the pain of remorse, "Forgive me, I—I was not thinking clearly—"

"Well that's very, very clear," mumbled Rose, as her eyebrows rose at the sorrowful look on his face. Howell ran his fingers through his dark hair, the violet highlights flashing in the streetlamp light.

"It's just you are so—" Howell took a step towards them, the Doctor moved back, pushing Rose with him.

"You," said the Doctor sharply, raising his sonic again, "Don't move!" Howell gritted his teeth, how dare this Time Lord tell him what to do!

"You have no authority over me! I can do whatever I want!" he shouted, baring his fang-like teeth like a dog. The Doctor's eyes flashed as he glanced over his shoulder at Rose. She did not look afraid at all of Howell, only annoyed.

"When Rose is concerned, I _do_ have the authority!" snapped the Doctor. Howell crossed his arms as his eyebrow arched in a silent question. His eyes flickered between Rose and the Doctor. _What is the relationship between these two?_ Howell wondered. He surveyed the Doctor's protective stance in front of Rose, the way Rose's eyes lit up upon seeing him. A strange thought crossed his mind, his eyes narrowing as he spat,

"What are you then, _lovers_?" The Doctor's spine straightened as color sprang into his face along with Rose's. Howell's eyes narrowed even further, trying to read the subtle body language between the two.

"No—no!" sputtered the Doctor, the color in his face rising still, "But I am responsible for her safety." Howell saw something flash in both their eyes, yes, there was something of a relationship between them. How deep it ran, he could not tell.

"Well, then, Doctor," sneered Howell as he kindly offered his hand out towards Rose, "If you are merely her protector, then you won't mind if I bid good evening to Rose then." The Doctor saw something flash in Howell's eyes, something he did not like. The Doctor shook his head in return.

"_No_, you've done enough. Now—" The Doctor took Rose's hand and started to turn away from him, keeping Rose close, "—_We_ shall be leaving." A slight frown appeared on Howell's face. Oh yes, there was something between them; Time Lords were known for hiding their emotions well. Yet he was not going to give up Rose so easily to this—this monster!

"Oh, I think not, Doctor, for you see…I am indebted to Rose for saving my life against those overly zealous guards in the square earlier. I have not properly thanked her." Howell casually strolled towards them. The Doctor sharply turned upon seeing Howell approach, but Rose held up a hand saying to him softly,

"Easy," The Doctor shot her a look, "I did save his life, and he does owe me. Let me handle this." The Doctor watched flabbergasted as Rose let go of his hand and approached Howell hesitantly. Rose stopped so that there was a good five feet between them. Howell saw her hesitation and decided to act with caution; if he wanted her to come to him…he'd wait.

"How do you plan to thank me properly then Howell?" said Rose coolly, her entire body tense as she waited him to respond…or move. If he made any sudden or unwanted actions, she'd bolt, pulling the Doctor with her. She never had anyone indebted to her, well…the Doctor but he did not count. Rose wondered how payment was granted for saving one's life on this planet. She was just as curious as much as she feared it.

"Whatever you want, Rose," said Howell softly, spreading his hands in a gesture of goodwill, "I could take you to dinner…" The Doctor made a noise that sounded like a mix between a choke and a laugh. Rose ignored him. So, Howell owed her, huh?

"How long can you be in my debt?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Was it like a gift card; after a certain amount of time had passed, it was no longer valid? Howell blinked, she did not intend to make him pay up now? Howell smiled, what a clever girl. She was waiting for the right moment to use it. Howell shrugged; there were no limits. A life debt could last for years, right up until his dying breath.

"Until you or I die." Rose nodded, good. She decided to slip Howell's life-debt away to her back pocket and save it for a rainy day. In the back of her head, something or someone was telling her, _'Do not take up his offer now. Save it. Keep it. You will need it in times of dire peril.'_

"Well then," said Rose, "I will wait until I see fit to use it." Rose then turned around and walked back towards the Doctor. She did not even see the shocked look on Howell's face. The Doctor did, he merely smiled at the Andorran. He did not expect Rose to keep that ace close to her sleeve now did he?

"Well, Howell," said the Doctor coolly, taking Rose's cold hand into his "I hope for your sake we don't meet again." The pair then turned and started down the street, not caring where they went as long as they got away from Howell. Howell watched with anger and jealousy as Rose's tense posture faded the instant she was at the Time Lord's side. Oooh how that made his blood boil!

"I will see you in the morning, Rose! I will find you to send you with off with a proper farewell!" Rose rolled her eyes as she watched the muscles in the Doctor's jaw clench tightly. Rose kept a firm grip on his hand, ready to pull him back if he decided to turn around and attack Howell.

Howell watched as the couple faded into the inky blackness of night, his whole form shaking with anger and embarrassment. The Time Lord had walked away…he let the damn Time Lord walk away. And with Rose nonetheless! Howell swore he'd get her back; no beauty such as she should be with that—that murderous, oath-breaking rebel! A thin smile came across his lips, oh; his father would be very interested to hear that a Time Lord survived the Time Wars…

Rose did not pay very much attention to where they were going, her only interest was to get as far as she could away from Howell. Rubbing her eyes, she felt suddenly very sleepy.

"Tired?" asked the Doctor gently, nudging her slightly. Rose blinked the sleepiness out of her eyes as she nodded, forcing herself to stay awake.

"Yep," she said, yawning, wishing she could be back in her room on the TARDIS, under her nice warm blankets. That in itself made her want to fall asleep right then and there. With the excitement and adrenaline wearing off, with each step Rose was getting that much closer to sleep. "Can we get back to the TARDIS?"

The Doctor shook his head as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders to support her slightly staggering form. Rose stared at him in shock, why could they not return to the TARDIS? It was just a little ways outside the city gates, about a fifteen-minute walk or so.

"Too dangerous," he said simply to her shocked face. Feeling the sleepiness drain from her, Rose blinked up at him.

"Why? What's out there?" She looked just over her left shoulder as they walked up a steep hill, she could see the shadows of the city walls in the distance. What could be out there that was dangerous? Instantly images of the weird creatures she saw earlier that morning crept into her head along with images of other worldly, deadly creatures that were mere figments of her imagination. But then again…a lot of things she had seen on her adventures with the Doctor she could have labeled once as figments of her imagination.

"This planet has quite a few deadly beasts that like to hunt at night once the sun has gone down. Very nasty creatures that have killed quite a few stupid tourists every once and awhile." Rose shivered slightly, despite knowing it was not a good idea she asked,

"Like what?" The Doctor gave her a small frown, if Daleks had given her nightmares then certainly these beasts would give her nightmares. Seeing the curiosity, despite the overwhelming tiredness in her eyes, he sighed. She would continue to bug him until he explained it to her.

"Well…like some of those creatures we saw earlier," He watched Rose's brown eyes widen as he felt her shiver beside him, "Not—those creatures we saw, but similar ones that are very, very dangerous especially at night," explained the Doctor quickly upon seeing the shock in her eyes.

"W—what—w—what are they? What do they do?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly. The Doctor smiled at her as he thought about describing some of the universe's scariest creatures just to yank her chain, but upon seeing her wide-eyed terror he thought better of it.

"They are large predator creatures that attack at night. These creatures are large, some very close in size to elephants," Rose's eyes widened even more, the muscles in her neck clenched, "Very dangerous wild animals that can take down a mature Andorran male in seconds. So, we will be staying the night here." Rose gave a slow nod, gripping the Doctor's arm tightly.

Rose did her best to keep herself awake with the last dregs of adrenaline fading from her veins, she felt more tired than ever. She clung onto the Doctor's arm for support as they moved through the quiet streets of the city. The Doctor could feel her leaning more and more against him. Looking down at her, he looped an arm around her waist to steady her.

"Nearly there," he said softly to her, her sleepy eyes looked up at him. He had stayed at a nice old inn the last time he was here and hopefully it was still here. Upon seeing it, he nudged Rose, "Come Rose."

Upon entering the small inn, Rose felt as if she stepped into a cozy bed and breakfast back on earth. The small reception room gave off an air of warm hominess with its dark blue and purple woods. Soft lowing lamps that seemed to be made of lace dotted the room with its dark wood floors intermingled with plush carpets. The Doctor gestured for Rose to sit as he walked up to the reception desk.

Rose slumped into a nearby armchair as the ding of a bell drew her attention to the reception desk. Within moments a dumpy old woman with a warm smile and forest green eyes came forward. The dull hum of the conversation between the Doctor and the hostess lulled Rose into repose of sleep. More than anything she just wanted to sleep after this long, long day!

"We need a room for two please. Just for one night," said the Doctor, placing a money stick on the counter. The Doctor looked over his shoulder and gave a soft chuckle upon seeing his companion. She was already asleep in an armchair. The hostess leaned slightly to the right as she followed the Doctor's line of vision. She then smiled as she whispered,

"Alright sir," Taking the money stick she stepped behind the counter to run the stick into a machine, tapping the buttons and screens with swift, quiet fingers. After a few moments a key card came out of a small slot on the desk. The woman came back to the desk handing the money card back to the Doctor, "You're wife sure is tired. Are you here as tourists?" she asked softly, her warm green eyes falling on Rose as she grabbed the key card and ran it through a scanner.

The Doctor blushed slightly as he shifted side to side in embarrassment. He then rubbed the back of his head as he gave a grin murmuring,

"Honeymoon," The woman's smile widened as she tapped a few buttons as the card key ran numerous times through the scanner.

"Congratulations," she said softly, with a final scan the dumpy old woman smiled as she handed the Doctor the card key and gestured up the stairs.

"Your room is 2-AD just up those stairs, to the right, third door on your right. I hope you have a pleasant stay! Oh! And many blessings and happy years for both you and your wife." The Doctor nodded his thanks at the hostess as he walked back towards Rose.

"Come on, Rose," he said, offering her his hands. Her glazed vision barely comprehended his actions as he offered his hands to her. Taking his hands, she was pulled to her feet. The hostess gave them a bright smile as Rose took the Doctor's hand as they went upstairs. Rose found that the slight hike up the stairs and down the hall had awakened her slightly much to her dismay. Upon finally reaching the room the Doctor swiped the card key through the scanner and with a click he opened the door.

"Ladies first," he said brightly, gesturing for her to go first.

The room was small, but very cute. There was a large queen bed to the left side of the room near the large window. The furniture was made of a dark blue wood. A wardrobe was to their right, just before the bathroom door. The bed had a large, beautiful decorated headboard. A matching bench was at the end of the bed, with two nightstands with a pair of lamps softly glowing. Rose noticed it had no lampshades, the soft glowing light hovering over the stand like a ghost.

"Oh, I forgot to ask for a room with two beds, not one," mumbled the Doctor upon seeing the large single bed in the middle of the room. Rose closed and locked the door behind her. Upon hearing the Doctor's remark, she waggled a finger in his direction as a tired smile crossed her lips.

"Now, now, remember dear, we are pretending to be a newly married couple on our honeymoon…" Rose walked passed him, a flash of mischief in her eyes, "We can't call off that little act now, can we?" The Doctor sighed as he rubbed the back of his head.

"I guess you're right."

Rose flopped onto the bed, exhausted and sore from the day's events. Closing her eyes she sighed, kicking off her shoes to the floor. Smiling she slowly sat up, neatly putting her shoes on the right side of the bed, tugging her socks off and shoving them into her shoes. Rose then pulled off her jacket, hissing softly at the pain of the bruises on her arms.

"Rose?" asked the Doctor, turning away from the window to look at her. Rose gave him a small smile over her shoulder as she said,

"I'm okay." The Doctor moved around the bed and stopped in front of her. He raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms over his chest. Rose rolled her eyes as she tossed her jacket onto a rocking chair in the corner, "Only bruises."

The Doctor's eyebrow rose as he shot her his usual, 'Oh really?' look. Rose frowned at him as he pulled off his trench coat, throwing it on the bed. He then unbuttoned and pulled off his suit coat, throwing it onto the bench at the end of the bed.

"Budge up, Rose," he said simply, gathering his trench coat up and wrapping it around his arm. He then plopped down on the bed beside Rose. It was then Rose took a good look at him. She stared at his face, she gasped as she saw the bruise. Her own injuries forgotten as she softly reached out and turned his face to look at her.

"Oh your face…" said Rose softly, running her fingers over the large bruise on his left cheek. The Doctor sighed as he shook his head softly. Rose would always be Rose, he then smiled at her, placing his hand over hers.

"Don't worry about me. I'll heal quickly, see?" He pulled down his sleeve and showed her the bruise on his wrist from earlier that day. Rose stared in amazement, as the bruise was now a yellowish color, very close to finish healing.

"Lucky," muttered Rose, her own bruises would take days if not a week or two to heal depending on how deep the bruise went into the layers of her skin and muscle. The Doctor gave a soft chuckled as he turned Rose to face him fully, taking out the sonic.

"I'm more worried about you. So, let's have a look at you." He gently brushed Rose's hair away from her face, so that he could examine the bruise more clearly. Rose instantly relaxed when his cool fingers ran over her skin. He gently pressed his fingers against her jawbone, feeling for breaks. He then examined Rose's head to ensure she was not hit in the head. "No broken bones…" he said softly. Rose close her eyes as the buzz of the sonic and the blue light flashed momentarily over her face. When it ended Rose blinked, rubbing her eyes. The Doctor nodded at the readings his face more relaxed.

"Nothing broken, no bleeding or concussion. You're lucky; it was probably just a passing blow. Alright, let's see your wrist and arms then." In the dim light, Rose crinkled her nose in disgust. Her left wrist and upper arms had minor bruises and swelling from Howell's desperate grasp. Rose heard a hiss come from the Doctor upon seeing the bruises up close.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, turning Rose's wrist left and right before examining her upper arms. Rose gave a shrug they weren't as bad as the bruise on her face and she gave his hand a light slap.

"It's not your fault. And don't you dare say it is!" she hissed, upon seeing him open his mouth to speak, "We got separated, no more, no less. Now, moving on." The Doctor closed his mouth as he gave Rose a grateful smile. She was learning to pounce upon his guilty emotions more and more faster with each situation they got into. Rose gave him a smile in return as he ran the sonic over her wrist and arms.

"Just minor bruises," he said tersely, his jaw clenching in anger as he put his sonic back into his trench coat pocket. He then pulled out a small vial of ointment. Rose frowned, not this stuff again! It was a nasty pinkish ointment that could be applied to small injuries, such as cuts and bruises. Even better was the ointment cut the healing time in half. As much as Rose liked the healing properties of the ointment it had one major down side. It smelled nasty and the smell lingered on anything it touched for days including skin and clothing.

"_Please noooooo_," she whined as the Doctor twisted the lid off and put a few drops on his fingers. Rose pulled a sad face, trying to get him not to put that smelly stuff on her face and arms. She'd rather have bruises that lingered for weeks than apply that stuff! He first used it on her after the fight at Canary Wharf; she had received minor cuts and bruises from the flying debris due to the Void.

What she did not know at the time was the stuff smelled like nail polish remover and a nasty floral scent that always made her gag. Despite heavy scrubbing in the shower and layers of scented lotions and perfumes, the nasty smell still overpowered everything else.

"Please, _please_, Doctor,_ no_," she begged, "I'd rather face a Dalek then have to go through days of smelling like—like—that!" Honestly, she did not leave the TARDIS for three days until she could heavily mask the smell with perfume! He smiled, amusement dancing across his eyes.

"Be a good girl and take your medicine," he said in a semi-patronizing tone, "See? Look." He promptly smeared some of it on his own bruise before putting it on Rose's face. She pinched her nose as he rubbed it gently onto her face.

"Happy?" she said, shooting him a look as he grinned at her. Rose finished applying the ointment to her arms and wrist. Within seconds she could feel the tingling sensation, which told her the medicine, was working. Rose made sure to rub the ointment until the oily substance was gone from her skin. Despite that, the smell remained.

"Good girl," said the Doctor as he stood up, capping and slipping the vial back into his trench coat, which he then threw over the bench along with his suit coat. While his back was turned, Rose stuck her tongue out at him in spite. When he turned back to face her, he had already removed his tie as he tossed Rose a toothbrush.

After brushing her teeth, Rose climbed into bed, yanking the covers down. She removed her jewelry, her normal hoop earrings and her numerous finger rings, placing them on the bedside table. Rose then snuggled under the covers, bringing them up to her chin. The bed was soft and warm, Rose felt like she was going to fall asleep at any second, but a noise caught her attention.

Rose rolled over to see the Doctor fiddling around with the wardrobe. Upon seeing him gathering extra blankets, Rose sat up staring at him.

"I'm not cold," she said simply, thinking he was getting more blankets down for her. He turned around to face her, an odd look on his face.

"I was going to lay these out on the floor…you can have the bed…" Rose crinkled her nose; the bed was big enough for the both of them. Hell, one could cut the bed in half with a laser and both sides would still have suitable elbowroom.

"Oh no, Doctor, you are not sleeping on the floor. It's been a rough day, come on," she tapped the left side of the bed beside her, "There's more than enough room, come on." The Doctor frowned at her. Sharing a bed with her? He didn't know, she'd promised him that they'd take their new relationship slow. Oh yes, Howell had seen everything correctly alright. They had a deeper relationship than just Time Lord and companion.

After the Battle at Canary Wharf, the Doctor and Rose both realized there had been a good chance that they could have been separated or worse, Rose could have been lost to the Void or died! Within that moment of joy, sadness, anger, regret, in the heat of the moment they confessed their love for each other. Sealing it with a passionate kiss.

Since then they acted like a couple, a dating couple, it was still awkward but it was slowly getting to a comfortable level. They were both more open with each other than they had previously been, he more so than her. Like all newly dating couples they took things slow. Holding hands was no problem; they had been doing that for years! Only recently had Rose been giving the Doctor good morning and good night kisses.

"Rose," he said, giving her a look, this was jumping several steps ahead then he wanted to. Silly humans…Rose stubbornly raised an eyebrow at him. She wasn't going to go to sleep until she had her way and he knew it.

"Get over here already," she commanded softly, promptly yawning after she finished her statement. With a soft sigh the Doctor gathered up two spare blankets and walked over to the bed. With a flick of a switch, the lights automatically went out. The only light came from the window and the soft silver and gold glow from the three moons. Rose then settled back under the covers with a soft smile. The Doctor kicked off his shoes and sat down on the bed.

"You silly human you," he said softly as Rose yawned again, her eyes blinking in sleep. To still maintain a proper distance, seeing as how Rose was making him break several of his own rules and jumping ahead of his own comfort zone, he decided he'd sleep on top of the covers while Rose was under them. Hence the blankets. Luckily, Rose did not object, she was getting very close to falling asleep. Lying down beside her, he gently brushed her face, making her give him a sleepy smile.

"Sleep Rose, you've had a long day…" Her eyes drooped into slits as she said softly in return,

"You too…you know…" Rose then moved closer until her face was resting inches away from his. He did not back away; instead he merely smiled as he whispered,

"Good night, Rose."

"Good night, Doctor." Normally it would have been Rose who covered the remaining ground between them, but this time he surprised her. He leaned in and placed a soft, lingering kiss on her lips. He felt Rose sigh against his lips as she fell asleep, too exhausted to even move.

The Doctor propped himself up on his elbow as he watched Rose sleep, her blonde hair fanning over the pillow, her soft lips slightly open as she breathed softly. She had a habit of tucking the covers right under her chin and keeping them there, only loosing her grip in the throes of a dream. He found it quite amusing and peaceful to watch her sleep. Time Lords did not need nightly rest like humans; they did sleep, but only a few times a month. Trances and healing comas provided deeper relaxation and rest than human like sleeping patterns. Sleeping is like a cat-nap for Time Lords.

Rose rolled over to face him, her hair fell in front of her eyes, he gently swept it back with the lightest touch, she did not even flinch. He loved to watch her face; it was like reading an open book. From the smallest twitches, facial expressions and even the whispered words in sleep he could tell what she was dreaming about. Yet, tonight, held no peaceful dreams for Rose Tyler.

"_Noooo,"_ she moaned in her sleep. The Doctor rose up onto his forearms concerned. Rose's brow furrowed and un-furrowed many times as she clenched the blankets tightly in her hands. He watched her tense, she gain to twist side to side as if fighting someone or something, "No, no, _don't_—Please—_No_—you can't!" Tears began to stream down her face as she fought harder against her dreams. The Doctor knew that dreams were merely active thoughts in the human subconscious while they slept, but even while she was dreaming he wanted to protect her.

"No! _No!_ Please—_not him_—please! _Take me!_ _Don't! Please! NO!_" she shouted, awaking within seconds sitting bolt upright in bed. Rose trembled violently as she buried her face into the sheets. That same vision again, only this time, new things occurred. Her blood ran cold as the images flashed over her eyes.

_The Doctor being dragged away from her, screaming for her—The sound of gunshots and the Doctor lying dead on the floor—The look of love in his eyes right before the gunman pulled the trigger—A long aisle of red carpet, numerous faces looking at her with either jealousy, curiosity or hate. Then strangely enough, Howell giving her a sadistic grin as he took her shaking hand. Her hands then became bathed in blood as she saw Howell standing over the Doctor. He was the gunman! He was going to kill him! For something she had done!_

Upon feeling hands on her shoulders and a gentle voice say,

"Rose?" She gasped, pulling her face away from the sheets to stare wide eyed at the Doctor. His brown eyes flashed with concern in the moonlight as he wiped a stray tear from her cheek, "Are you alright? What is wrong?" Rose sat there staring at him, breathing hard as she clutched at the bed sheets.

"You—I" she stuttered, tears now streaming down her face, "Doctor, I'm s-sorry—he—he said I—" The Doctor placed a finger on her lips to silence her.

"It was just a nightmare." Rose shook her head as she flung herself into his arms, her tears renewed with equal force. She swallowed down her sobs when she felt him wrap his arms around her, rubbing circles into her back.

"I—I k—ki—kil—_killed_ you! I—I d—di—did something! I g—got us in—into trouble and you—you paid the price! He—killed you! H-Howell killed you and—and it was all my—_my fault_!" The Doctor frowned slightly at the revelation of Rose's nightmare. His mind floated back to earlier that day and a cold feeling coursed through him. Could this be part of Rose's blooming powers? He then internally shook his head as he admonished himself that was impossible! It was a nightmare! Just stresses of the day imprinting themselves in Rose's mind.

"No, it was just a nightmare Rose. Nothing more," he said softly, Rose's head shot up from where it had been previously buried in his chest, her eyes wide with fear.

"N—No! It was a v—vi—vision! I know it! We—we have to get off this planet!" The Doctor gently cupped her face as he looked into her fearful eyes. They had to leave this planet, tomorrow, that much he agreed with her on.

"It was a nightmare, not a vision—" Rose opened her mouth to protest, but he silenced her with a look, "We'll leave tomorrow morning, I promise you. Now, go back to sleep."

Still sniffling and rubbing her tears away, the Doctor gently lowered her back down onto the bed. Rose used the corner of the sheets to rub her remaining tears away. She shivered as she buried herself under the covers, trying to stop her violent shaking from both cold and fear. The Doctor pulled over one of the spare blankets over Rose then drew her close.

Rose stiffened in shock as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close so that their bodies touched. He had never done anything like that before and it was a great comfort to have him so near. Rose felt her shivering stop as she snuggled closer to him, the crown of her head resting just under his chin. Wrapping an arm around his waist, she relaxed completely. Allowing her tired body to pull her back into sleep. The Doctor gently tucked the extra blanket around Rose's sleeping form. He gently pressed a kiss against her forehead as oddly enough, he too sunk into a deep sleep.

Much to the Doctor's great displeasure, Howell was waiting for them outside the inn the next morning.

"What are you doing here?" hissed the Doctor at Howell. Howell merely gave the Doctor a smirk, "How did you find us?" The Doctor reached into his pockets for his sonic. Rose was still upstairs taking a shower; he wanted to get Rose away from Howell as soon as she came down.

"I have my ways, Time Lord," spat Howell, his violet eyes narrowing, glittering like a cat who had cornered a mouse. The Doctor's heartbeats increased, Howell was making him very nervous. It made him even more nervous that he knew Howell was here for Rose.

"Leave. _Now_," growled the Doctor under his breath, pulling out his sonic, keeping it by his side but showing it to Howell. Howell's eyes landed on it as the smirk on his face widen as he pulled aside a long vest he wore. The Doctor's eyes widened as his pallor dropped upon seeing a gun on his belt.

"Two can play at that game my friend," said Howell softly; he then took a step forward forcing the Doctor to take a step back. _Yes,_ Howell thought, _Fear me Time Lord. You have no idea how I can make your life miserable. _The Doctor's eyes narrowed, he was not going to be cowed by Howell. This Andorran did not scare him; his own fright was for Rose.

"Now, where is Rose?" The Doctor swallowed down his fear as it was replaced by anger. Why was this guy so intent on following Rose? Did he think he could—could win her? Especially after what he did last night? Upon seeing the momentary fear flash over the Time Lord's face, Howell grinned, showing his fang-like teeth.

"I'm not telling you anything!" growled the Doctor under his breath, giving Howell a slight shove; "We are leaving this planet as soon as she comes down!"

"What—what? You're—she's leaving?" The Doctor nodded as he crossed his arms over his chest. He expected Howell to give up at that moment and walk away. Yet, he underestimated this Andorran. Howell growled under his breath as he grabbed the Doctor by his trench coat lapels and pushed him into an alley beside the inn.

"_You bastard!"_ growled Howell as his eyes flashed with anger, he was nearly nose-to-nose with the Doctor, baring his teeth. "You are making her leave?" The Doctor gave a wicked grin as he yanked Howell's hands away from his lapels.

"Rose is leaving with me of her own free will. I don't know who you are or what you are doing, but leave Rose out of this!" Howell clenched his fists, if only he'd brought his friends! This Time Lord would be black, blue and bloody! How dare he speak to him like this? If he knew who he really was…oooh, he'd be trembling in fear!

"She—I," sputtered Howell, if he could blush his face would be beat red, "Why is she, a beautiful creature, with you—you bloody, cruel, corrupt, Time Lord?"

A sudden thought ran through the Doctor's mind upon seeing the anger in Howell's eyes. There was a flash of another emotion over Howell's violet eyes. An emotion that he knew all too well when it came to Rose. _Jealousy._ The Doctor had to bite on his knuckles hard to stop himself from laughing. Howell was jealous of him? Jealous of his relationship with Rose? What did he know?

"Because she _wants_ to. _No one_ can make Rose Tyler do anything she doesn't want to do. Not even _me_. So get that through your thick skull Howell!" said the Doctor, a grin forming on his lips as he watched his words circle through Howell's mind.

"You're making her—" The Doctor shook his head, Howell had no clue whom he was dealing with when it came to Rose.

"Nope," he said coolly, "She can leave at anytime—"

"But—you're forcing her! She can't—"

"_She won't—_She wants to stay with me. Ask her yourself,"said the Doctor as he walked pass Howell back out into the street before the inn. He looked left then right, to see if Rose was waiting for him. She was not there yet. The Doctor did not flinch when he felt Howell looming over him, his hot breath on the back of his neck. The Doctor rolled his eyes, he had scarier things stand over and point weapons at his back. Howell had his gun digging into the Doctor's back.

"Why?" spat Howell, he wanted this—this thing to turn around and tell him why Rose was with him. The Doctor did not turn around, he merely said,

"That is none of your business, Howell. She is my companion and anything you say or do will not change her mind. She and I have faced death, destruction of worlds and the evils of the universe more than once together. If she did not want to stay with me—" He turned around to face Howell, his dark eyes expressing an emotion that Howell could not even comprehend, his gun still in the Doctor's face.

"She would have left me a long, _long _time ago. She faced the Void and survived to stay with me. Nothing can separate us. Not even _you_," Howell jabbed his gun under the Doctor's chin as his violet eyes narrowed as he whispered at the Doctor,

"Well Time Lord, if you've face death before. Be prepared to meet him again! Rose is not going anywhere with you. You Time Lords always bring death with you like your shadow."

"Who are you Howell? Why do you hate me so much? What have I done to you?" Howell gave a sadistic grin as he leaned in, forcing the Doctor to take a measured step back.

"Oh, its not what you've done to me per say, if only you knew…" The Doctor's eyes narrowed, this kid talked in riddles and codes. Was it possible that his kid was part of the secret police? His blood ran cold at the thought, that meant he and Rose were in more danger than he thought. The faster they left this planet, the better! "You think you know everything—" The Doctor rolled his eyes, "But you don't! And I won' let a precious person like Rose go anywhere with you!" The Doctor smirked as he gently, pushed the barrel of the gun away from his face saying words that Howell almost did not hear.

"She is precious and you can try to convince her stay, but she won't. She trusts me with her life," Howell made a choking noise, "She'll still come with me, every time. _Jealous_?" Howell jabbed his gun under the Doctor's chin again and his finger began to squeeze the trigger when a voice called him away.

"Doctor? Howell? What is going on?" Rose was standing at the entranceway to the inn, her shopping bags in her hand. Her face was still flush from her hot shower, but she looked beautiful in one of her new dresses.

It was made of a soft cream color; a solid skirt of cream was highlighted by a lace over skirt that fell from her waist to her feet. The bodice was a simple sweetheart neck and had short puffy sleeves. Around her neck was a beautiful gold necklace with a brilliant amber star necklace and matching earrings. Her hair was pulled back away from her face in a small bun, but stray strands of hair fell just in front of her ears as her bangs blew about her forehead in the soft, early morning wind.

The Doctor promptly shoved the barrel of Howell's gun away from his face and sharply forced it down out of Rose's line of view. He did not want her to get upset this early in the morning. He then graced her with a cheerful smile as he looped over to her side.

"Nothing, Rose. My, you look…" Rose grinned her usual smile, tongue between her teeth grin as she took the Doctor's hand as he helped her down the stairs. Howell's eyes narrowed as he holstered his gun, cracking his knuckles ominously. His violet eyes instantly latched onto the Doctor's hand, which held Rose's in a firm but gentle grasp. Neither of them paid Howell any mind as Rose settled on the cobbled street. She then spun around, holding out her skirts.

"Beautiful? Amazing? All of the above?" asked Rose as she moved close to him, grinning wider all the while. The Doctor opened and closed his mouth several times as a soft flush filled his face. Rose's eyebrows rose as she giggled, poking the Doctor in the shoulder. "Speechless? Oh my! I've made the Doctor _speechless_!" Rose then spun on the spot laughing. Howell then grinned as he stepped forward, grabbing Rose's hand. Upon seeing him, she gasped.

"You are the most beautiful creature in the universe, Miss Rose," said Howell with authority as he kissed Rose's hand. Her brown eyes widened in shock, she had forgotten about him! Yanking her hand away from Howell, Rose backed up. The Doctor wrapped a protective arm around Rose's waist, the instant he did, she visibly relaxed. Howell's eyes narrowed in disgust, this Time Lord thought he had the audacity to touch his Rose? Yet the look only lasted for a moment.

"I've come to pay my respects to the woman who saved my life," he said, bowing in a courtly manner, "May I have the enjoyment of your company today, Rose?" Rose's eyes narrowed as she felt very, very close to smacking him. How on earth did he find them? Rose shook her head as she gripped the Doctor's arm tightly.

"No, you may not!" she said forcefully, Howell's eyes widened in shock and hurt, "Especially after the stun you pulled last night!" Howell felt himself once again stripped to bare bone at her gaze. The Doctor merely smirked. Howell then lowered his eyes as his whole body tensed.

"I'm sorry for my behavior last night. I—I was drunk! Out of my mind with spirits! That is not how I usually behave, Rose! Please, give me a chance!" he begged, he wanted to throw himself on his knees, if that would make her to reconsider. Rose blinked as she surveyed Howell; his words seemed heartfelt and honest. There were tears at the edges of his eyes and…and Rose knew what it was like to do stupid things while drinking.

"Rose…" the Doctor warned softly, "Be weary of him…" Rose gave him a silent look, which read, 'I understand'. Rose then looked at Howell as tears began to fall down his face. She didn't know whether they were real or not, but she did not want to hurt his feelings. She gently left the safety of the Doctor's arms as she moved towards Howell.

"I forgive you, Howell, but don't do it again!" Howell's face instantly brightened up as he took Rose's hands and kissed them.

"We'll do whatever you want Rose! I will show you the true beauty of Andorra!" Howell then seized Rose by the waist and lifted her into the air. Rose cried out in shock but found herself back on the ground before she could protest. She backed away from him as she smoothed out her dress before addressing him again.

"That's nice Howell, but we are leaving," Howell's face fell again as his heart sunk. So the Time Lord was not lying? They were leaving? Howell began to sputter, unable to get the words out.

"But—but you can't—you just can't Rose—I—I," Rose held up a hand, she had seen enough of this planet to last her a lifetime. Besides she was ready to move on as was the Doctor.

"It is just time for us to leave, Howell." Howell seized her hands again, pulling her close to him as he begged,

"Please don't go! Is—is it him?" he pointed towards the Doctor who was using the same technology to transport Rose's bags to the TARDIS has he had done to the crate of books the day before. The Doctor sent Howell a withering glare, "Is he forcing you?"

Rose shook her hand as she gently pried her hands away from Howell. Over Rose's shoulder The Doctor gave Howell a leveled, deadly look. A look that said, 'If you so much as even touch her again, I'll kill you'.

Rose looked between the Doctor and Howell, sensing the tension between the two. It was so thick she could barely breathe for fear of upsetting one or the other. Yet, deep inside she was wary of Howell, she did not like the hateful, death glares he sent the Doctor's way. With a sigh Rose said,

"He's not forcing me to do anything Howell. I want to leave with him," Howell felt his heart crack at her words. So the Time Lord had been right, she would leave with him of her own will. But whether that was her free will or not, he did not know.

"Please stay Rose! Just a little bit longer, to let me atone for my disgusting actions last night!" Rose bit her lip; she was still weary of Howell, yet his eyes expressed his regret for his actions last night. She knew that a single word from her would either make this man her enemy or her friend. Upon looking over her shoulder, she saw the Doctor watching her with a guarded look. He may not want Howell near her, but she learned from him that it was better to leave another species on good terms.

"You can walk me to the main gate," Howell's eyes lit up with happiness, "But the Doctor must follow behind us. No funny business!" Howell agreed to all her terms, grinning like a mad man.

The Doctor gritted his teeth as he watched Howell endlessly flirting with Rose. She'd smile and laugh politely at his jokes, but she clearly was keeping her distance from him. Howell kept pushing and Rose was gently trying to put him down nice and easy. The Doctor frowned, Rose was being too kind after last night! Sure, she might have believed him drunk, but he sure did not! If it were up to him, he would have ensured Rose would have dropped that boy like a stone! Yet if Howell did anything, ever so slight, to upset Rose he'd take her from Howell faster than you can blink!

"And then he said…" said Howell, grinning from ear to ear. He finally had Rose's attention, all to himself! He had to convince her to stay, to not go with that Time Lord. With each flirtatious action, he could feel the Time Lord's eyes bearing into his back. Howell did not care; he had Rose, which was all that mattered to him. What Howell was not picking up on was Rose's actions. She politely smiled and laughed at a few of his jokes, some were actually good. Yet each time he'd snatch up her hand, loop an arm around her waist or try to hold her hand, she'd slip away.

Rose was starting to get annoyed with Howell. His flirtatious manner was take and take manner, not take and receive. It was he who did all the talking, barely letting Rose get a word out. He'd flash a brilliant smile at her and wink, hoping she'd respond to him. To Rose, he seemed like a spoiled rich kid like she had seen at her primary school. They'd just push and push and push until they received what they wanted from another person. She had a very odd feeling that Howell had never been said 'No' to before. That made her wonder, just who was this guy? He dressed in the plain clothes of the peasant population but his airs and manners seemed to come up from a higher level. As he grabbed her hand eagerly, Rose's sense of unease intensified. The nightmare from last night was not making her feel any better. The image of Howell standing over the Doctor's body, gun in hand, made her whole body tense with warning. She could not trust Howell; there was something dangerous about him underneath his smile. Rose looked over her shoulder at the Doctor, hoping he'd fine someway to get her out of this.

Upon reaching the city gates, Rose was able to slip away from a distracted Howell. Howell had been called back by the guards to receive a citizen's ticket to allow him entry back into the city upon his return. She ran quickly to catch up with the Doctor, slipping her hand into his. He looked at her the instant their hands touched. For a few moments they walked hand in hand in silence as Howell shouted at them to wait for him.

"So…" said the Doctor uneasily, running his free hand through his hair, "How was the date?" Rose shot him a look as she elbowed him in the ribs.

"It was not a date. More like a school boy trying to get my attention by endlessly flirting with me!" growled Rose as she looked over her shoulder at Howell. He seemed quite stunned that Rose had left his side. Dejected, he followed them out the city gates, much to Rose's surprise and to the Doctor's anger.

"He's going to follow us? Why that—" Rose grinned upon seeing the color rise in his face as he glared at Howell. Howell glared back at him. Yet the instant he met Rose's eyes, Howell's face fell into a lovesick puppy look. Rose scoffed as she rolled her eyes. The Doctor pulled Rose closer to him as he watched Howell. Howell looked at Rose with lust and desire; the Doctor did not like it. Rose, upon seeing him still watching Howell, asked,

"What's wrong?" The Doctor bent his head down and whispered into her ear,

"I don't like the way he looks at you. Like a piece of meat," Rose gave a slight snigger as she looked up into his eyes. They were darker than normal and had a fixed look about them. Rose shot a quick glance again at Howell. She did not see him looking at her like a piece of meat, merely like a stupid puppy.

"I don't know what you're seeing," Rose said simply with a shrug, the Doctor whipped his head back at Rose so fast she heard his neck crack. He stared at her in shock; did she not see the absolute lust in Howell's eyes? How could she not see that?

"I know what I see Rose Tyler! I've seen it before! He's lusting after you and I won't have him—" Rose chuckled which cut the Doctor off as he gave her a funny look, "What's so funny?" Rose smiled up at him as she wrapped her spare arm around the arm that was closest to her. Grinning madly with mischief and playfulness in her eyes Rose said,

"You may be a Time Lord, but you're like all other men," The Doctor pulled an affronted look as he looked down at Rose, "When another man has his eyes on your woman, you see it as lust and desire. And like all other men, you instantly get jealous of the fact another man is looking at me."

Upon hearing those words, the Doctor blushed furiously for he knew them to be so close to the truth that Rose had nailed the problem right on the head. Rose gave a soft giggle as she leaned against him in comfort and support. He was not one to admit when he was jealous, but by this point and time, Rose knew when it sprang up.

"But you are too cute when your jealous, my Doctor," said Rose in a mere whisper to him, "I'd be jealous too if I was in your position." The Doctor looked down at Rose, her cheeks covered in a soft blush. He relaxed; especially when she said 'my Doctor' and he knew what she said was true. She had been jealous quite a few times when other women paid him attention, but she'd always be his Rose and he'd always be her Doctor.

That much was clear.

_Note: It's okay to come out now! This may be a bit late but: Happy New Year to you all! *blows kisses and confetti*_


	11. Chapter 11

Please Review! The faster the reviews are, the faster the post!

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it is owned by the lovely BBC!

**Chapter 10: A Parting Gift**

Howell sent a seething look at the locked hands of the Doctor and Rose. He had been trying to spend whatever time he had left with Rose and that—that—Time Lord had to interfere! Howell's shoulders slumped forward, he had to tell Rose how he felt. Though he had only known her for a day and a few hours, he was in love. He knew she was the one, the one he wanted as his bride. If he wanted her, he would have to wait, be patient. He'd take Rose when the Time Lord wasn't looking, his father would be most pleased. Maybe he would…Howell smirked, a sly grin filled his face…yes, that's it! When the Doctor shot Howell a look over his shoulder, Howell's face lower to look at the ground.

In the clearing the Doctor saw the TARDIS, he could breathe easy now, he could take Rose home safely. Rose turned to look at the Doctor, she watched the muscles in his jaw tighten and relax. Rose squeezed his hand gently; she shouldn't have teased him about being jealous. It was true that Howell's constant flirting had annoyed her to no end, but to watch the jealous flush on the Doctor's face and his eyes narrowing as he watched the interactions between Rose and Howell, it made Rose giggle. He hated to admit he was jealous of other mens attentions on her, but he was. The Doctor was sure possessive of Rose…

"Hey," said Rose softly, swinging their linked hands, he looked at her, "I'm sorry for teasing you earlier." The Doctor's face softened as he merely smiled at her.

"It's alright, I'm just concerned about_ him_," he said coolly, his head nodding towards Howell who was walking behind them like a dead man's walk, "I don't like the way he looks at you." Rose felt her stomach flip flop as she flushed. The couple stopped in front of the TARDIS, the two turned to face Howell as he slumped up to the TARDIS. His violet eyes widened on the sight of the TARDIS, so…these were the time machines of the Time Lords…

The Doctor surveyed Howell, his eyes giving him an up and down look, a frown on his face.

"It's been _fun_, Howell," he said coolly, his eyes hardening as Howell glared at him. Rose tensed, ready to step in between the two if she had to. Howell's violet eyes went darker in color to almost a true purple as his brow furrowed as he muttered,

"Like wise." The Doctor gave him a sharp nod as he pulled out his TARDIS key and unlocked the door. When the Doctor's back was turned, Howell's eyes went soft as he looked at Rose. Rose felt a shiver go up her spine, the looks that he had been giving her all day and the one he was giving her now, made her skin crawl. Yet he looked like he wanted to say good-bye, Rose opened her mouth but the Doctor took her hand and pulled her forward.

Rose stopped halfway into the TARDIS, her arm yanking forward as the Doctor moved forward. Upon feeling Rose's hesitance, he looked back at her, an eyebrow rising in a silent question. Rose bit her lip as she looked at her shoes, the Doctor looked up over her shoulder to Howell staring at Rose. She hesitantly looked up at him and asked,

"Can I say good-bye?" The Doctor frowned as he looked between Howell and Rose, frowning as he gave a stiff nod. Rose then walked out of the TARDIS and towards Howell. Howell watched as the Doctor walked inside the blue odd-looking space ship. Howell took Rose's hand and pulled her just past the clearing, just beyond the trees. Rose pulled her hand gently out of Howell's as she turned to face him.

"Uh…good-bye I guess. It was…ah…nice to meet you," she said simply, putting her hands behind her back, so he could not grab them. She was feeling more and more nervous as something came over Howell's eyes and face. Howell looked sad.

"Don't go, Rose—" Rose shook her head, gesturing towards where the TARDIS was just beyond the trees.

"I stay with the Doctor. _Forever_." Howell frowned at those words as he settled his hands on her shoulders, Rose could feel his desperate grip on her shoulders, but she raised her head. She was not scared of him.

"But Rose…I—I think you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen…I—I think I am in love with you." Rose smiled as she started to giggle, she put her hand over her mouth to try and stop. Howell stared at Rose, frowning, why did she not take him seriously? "I'm serious! _I__love__you_!" Rose shook her head as her laughter lessened.

"You _think_ you're in love with me, Howell. The idea of being in love," said Rose, patting Howell's shoulder, "Don't worry you'll find someone." Howell clenched his fists at her words, with a sigh he realized that he would have to let her go…for now. With a sigh, Howell ran his hand through his hair as he gave Rose a sad smile.

"I leave you with this parting gift, Rose." She blinked as she waved him off, with a nervous smile on her face. She did not see him pull out a gift and she was very much afraid of what the gift could be. Slowly, Rose started to move towards the TARDIS, saying nervously,

"Thank you, but I don't need a—Hmph!" As Rose turned her back, Howell grabbed her and turned her around to face him. Before Rose could react, Howell pulled her to him, kissing her full on the mouth. Rose froze in shock for a few moments before she started to fight back. Yet Howell's grip on her was strong, she could feel bruises forming on her arms. Rose groaned under the kiss as she began to slam her fists against his chest.

Howell pulled her even closer as he pressed his lips harder and harder against hers. The urge to kiss her had overwhelmed him since he had seen her under the moonlight the night before. Howell looped his fingers through her sweet smelling hair. To Howell, Rose was a beautiful, powerful goddess. Rose struggled harder and harder, finally she managed to pull back her hand and hit Howell hard in the face. Howell pulled away for a few moments in shock.

"Doc—" cried Rose, but was instantly silenced by Howell's mouth. Rose pulled back her hand and punched him again in the face. It had little effect this time, on the third try, Howell opened his eyes and caught Rose's wrist. As she fought to pull her wrist away, Howell, unknowingly clamped down too hard on Rose's wrist. Rose yanked her head away as a cry of pain bubbled up to her lips.

The effect was instant, the hard grip on her wrist, caused her wrist to break instantly. Rose could hear the bones crack in her wrist as the pain instantly sprang up, like someone lit her bones on fire. Rose groaned in pain as Howell stared at her. He released her in surprise as Rose gripped her injured wrist. She glared at him, who did this bastard think he was? She saved his life and now he thought he had the right to fall in love with her and kiss her in the span of hours?

"Rose, I…I'm…"

"Save it!" she snapped, slowly backing away from him. Howell held out his hands towards her as if to plead for forgiveness. Rose sent him her coldest glare. The moment he stepped towards her, Rose ran towards the TARDIS. She did not even look back; she gently cradled her broken wrist against her body as the familiar blue box came into sight. She smiled softly at the sight, she was home, and she was safe! No more Howell. Rose flung herself inside, shutting the door behind her with a loud bang. The Doctor looked up from the console, as Rose leaned against the door, hiding her injured wrist from him.

"Alright, Rose?" he asked, Rose brushed her bangs away from her eyes with her left, uninjured hand. She smiled at him and nodded, trying to sound cheerful. That was very hard to do seeing as she was just forced fed a kiss and her wrist was broken. Yet she managed to say lightly,

"Ready to go." He smiled at her as he clapped his hands and started the TARDIS up. Rose, having finally caught her breath, walked up the ramp. Gingerly using both her hands, she climbed into the jump seat. A hiss of pain came from between her teeth as she felt her weight press down hard on her broken wrist. She winced despite herself and managed to get herself into the seat. Luckily for her, the Doctor had his back turned and the whirl and the screech of the rotor, had masked her hiss of pain.

Rose settled her injured wrist on her lap, pulling the sleeve lower over her hand. She didn't want to alert the Doctor to her injury, God forbid he'd turn the TARDIS around and chase Howell all over that damn planet for hurting her! Rose gave a slight grin at the thought, but deep inside Rose knew that Howell probably did not mean to break her wrist.

Rose leaned back in the jump seat, tilting her head back over the edge of the chair until she was staring at the ceiling. She breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth as she tried not to scream with pain. Her wrist was throbbing with agony; the pain dimmed then quickly came back at full force. It was then she realized she was starting to feel very warm.

She wondered if it was safe to remove her jacket. She instantly wanted to run to her room and lock herself in there until they returned to earth, but that would make the Doctor suspicious. Rose thought that if she took off her jacket and wrapped her injured wrist in it, he'd be none the wiser. Breathing a deep breath, Rose prepared herself for the pain.

The Doctor was tapping away at buttons and the time frame screen when he looked up at her, grinning happily.

"We've left Andorra. So, let's get that terrible place out of our minds, where do you want to go next?" he asked, watching her with amusement. Rose stopped struggling as she tried to gingerly pull her injured arm out of the jacket sleeve. Only the cloth was tight around her wrist and no matter how gentle she was, her wrist flared with pain. Rose tried to keep her composure, despite the agonizing pain throbbing from her wrist. She merely shrugged,

"You pick." The Doctor scoffed as he walked over towards her, Rose nervously pulled her sleeve back down over her injury. Why did he want to go somewhere else? Couldn't they just return to earth? She honestly wanted to return to home, but she had no excuse other than her injured wrist. He leaned against the console lazily, stuffing his hands into his trench coat pockets as he smiled at her.

"Nah! You've seen my poor judgment, it's your turn now." Rose looked away; she just wanted to go home! With each throb of her wrist, she felt her stomach twist in numerous knots, so tight she felt sick. Rose shrugged as she tried to use her uninjured hand to get her jacket off once more. Yet every time she tried to twist her jacket off with her good hand, her injured wrist would flare in pain.

"I—I don't care," she hissed softly, trying to hide her pain from the Doctor, she then accidentally clenched her injured hand, causing her wrist to explode with pain. Between the broken bones, the damaged muscle and tissue, Rose's vision swam for a moment as she whispered, "Damn it." The Doctor chuckled, Rose blushed as she looked up at him.

"What are you doing?" Rose quickly looked away as she mumbled,

"Trying to get my jacket off!" The Doctor walked over and said,

"What's wrong with you today? Here let me help," Before she could protest he managed to yank her good arm out its sleeve and grabbed her injured wrist as he pulled off the other sleeve, freeing her.

"Ahhh! Ouch! God, damn it!" Rose swore, pulling away from him, she jumped off the jump seat grasping her injured wrist. The jig was up. She turned away from him so she would not have to see his eyes, bending over double as she bit down on her lip to block out the pain. Her head swirled as her stomach did a somersault.

"Rose? What is it?" Rose felt his hands grab her shoulders, her eyes watered with tears.

"It—it's nothing," she gasped through the pain; she opened her watering eyes to see the Doctor's eyes turn dark. His eyes flickered down to the wrist she was clutching to her chest. Before she could say another word, his nimble fingers pried her hand away from her injured wrist. His cool fingers pulled her right sleeve up to her elbow as he gently turned her wrist this way and that. Rose gasped at the amount of damage inflicted upon her; it made her stomach turn over. The entire wrist was bruised! The bruises made her wrist and a small portion of her hand swell, making it look grotesque. One could clearly see her wrist bones along with a few bones in her hand were broken.

"Doctor—ow—" said Rose softly as she blinked back more tears, even the tiniest bit of pressure from his fingertips cause her to wince with pain.

"Rose. Look at me." Rose opened her eyes, the Doctor had a hard look on his face as he held her wrist gently with both his hands, "Who did this to you?" Rose shook her head, before she could open her mouth she felt him grab her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye.

"Did Howell do this to you?" Rose searched his eyes; there was fear and anger there, yet his eyes were not yet black with rage. He was more concerned for her than exacting revenge on that boy. Rose swallowed as she nodded, "What happened?"

"Howell—he—he told me he loved me…" The Doctor snorted as he rolled his eyes, Howell only met Rose only a day before! How could he be in love with her? There was no such thing as love at first sight. Rose bit her lip as she watched the Doctor's reaction. His brown eyes met hers, they urged her to continue. Rose licked her dry lips, "I told him he was just infatuated with the idea of being in love with me and when I turned around to leave he—he—he kissed me." Rose watched with fear as the tenderness and concern for her bled into absolute rage and disgust at Howell.

The Doctor turned away from her, cursing under his breath in Gallifreyan. Rose clutched her wrist to her chest as she tried several times to continue explaining. Yet she could not, she only watched as he paced the control room floor, throwing his trench coat down in anger.

"I'll kill him!" he muttered under his breath. After pacing for several more seconds, he stopped, turning to look at her, "Why didn't you call for me?"

"I tried to Doctor. I hit him in the face and he pulled away. When I tried to call out to you…He kissed me again to silence me. I tried punching him again but he caught my wrist and he…" The Doctor's jaw tightened, that boy dared to mess with Rose, and he knew what he was doing too! The Doctor ran a hand through his hair as he looked at the floor cursing himself. He should have not left her side!

"At least you fought back, that's good." When he looked up at Rose, his eyes went soft with sympathy and guilt. Rose could see the guilt in his eyes and shook her head. She did this to herself. She walked towards him then grabbed his lapel with her uninjured hand, giving him a slight shake.

"This is not your fault, don't you dare blame yourself for it. It was my mistake, I forgotten how strong he could be, I underestimated him—And Howell, I'm sure he didn't mean to do it on purpose!" The Doctor's face hardened slightly at those words.

"I doubt it," he reached out and brushed his fingertips over her face, "I shouldn't have left you alone with him and you were not mistaken at all, Rose. You were only fighting back, it's natural." The two stared at each other for a moment, before Rose swayed on the spot from the pain. She quickly steadied herself, hoping he did not notice, but he did. His eyes locked on her broken wrist.

"Come on, Rose, let's get you to the infirmary," he said softly. Without another word, he grabbed her uninjured arm and looped it over his neck then with a fluid motion lifted Rose into his arms.

"Doctor?" cried Rose, laughing a bit at his ridiculous and thoughtful action, "I broke my wrist, not my leg. You can put me down." The Doctor shook his head. Rose scowled, "I'm not dying or anything, now let me go." The look he shot her silenced her. His eyes went dark at her words and Rose knew it was better not to argue with him at this point. The infirmary doors automatically swished open, revealing to Rose an all too familiar sight.

On more than one occasion Rose had ended up here due to simple head colds to battle injuries. The softly lit infirmary looked very much like a standard operating room but it had ten times more technology and tools. In the center of the room was two surgical tables, numerous lights, screens, and scanners. To their left was numerous cabinets filled with every type of medical supplies one could imagine and then some. To the right was a full sized body scanner, which thankfully had never been used along with several large cabinets.

The first time Rose was brought here she had a near panic attack. She had been injured badly in a fight with some rogue space pirates during the Doctor's last regeneration. She had taken a bullet to the arm and the Doctor was nearly beside himself with rage. When he helped her into the infirmary, Rose thought she was going to have the full surgery treatment and did not want that. Yet the Doctor had reassured her that would not be necessary, all that was needed was a pain numbing shot, a scalpel, tweezers, antibiotics, about fifteen stitches and bandages.

The Doctor carried her over onto one of the surgical tables, settling her down. Rose clutched her arm to her chest as she watched the Doctor move back and forth gathering the things needed to fix her wrist. Her eyebrows rose as the Doctor laid out numerous items on a nearby table. Rose saw the bruise ointment, bandages, medical tape, a splint, a bottle of pain pills and one large syringe. As he laid out the medical supplies the Doctor kept muttering threats under his breath.

"Forget Howell, Doctor, let's just concentrate on this," she said, pointing to her swollen wrist. The Doctor stopped at her words, as he softly smiled at her. He gently brushed her bangs away from her eyes.

"You're right, Rose. Now," he slapped the pillows at the end of the bed, "Lay down."

Rose did as she was told and laid back against the pillows. The Doctor pulled out a number of blankets from a cabinet, he laid one aside while he carried the other three, heading towards the end of the table.

"Rest your legs on these," he commanded, the folded blankets on the table. Rose did as she was told; the blankets were placed so that her legs were at a slight angle. The Doctor then draped a soft blanket over her, gently placing her injured arm on top of the blanket. Rose gave him a questionable look. Her wrist was broken, why did she need all of this?

"To avoid shock," he said simply, he looked over at the nearby tray, making sure he had everything. With a nod to himself, he took off his suit jacket and threw it onto a nearby chair. He unbuttoned the cuffs of his white shirt and started to roll up the sleeves.

"Why would I go into shock?" asked Rose, a slight tinge of fear coloring her voice. The Doctor looked down at her, placing a hand on her shoulder, his eyes soft.

"Your body just needs to relax that way it is easier to reset the bone. Shock can occur while setting the bone, even under anesthetics, it's better to keep you like this so it can be prevented or stopped." As he turned away, reaching for something on the tray, Rose's uninjured hand snaked out from under the blanket and caught his hand. He turned to look at her and his hearts squeezed tightly in pain. She looked scared.

"I've never broken a bone before…Will this…hurt?" she asked softly, her eyes wide with fear. The Doctor gave her hand a gentle squeeze as he shook his head.

"No, it won't." He then picked up the syringe off the tray table. Taking off the cap, he flicked it with his finger a few times to check for air bubbles under the light. Seeing nothing wrong, he turned back to Rose. Within a matter of seconds, her eyes were now steeled against anything. His brave Rose…

"Now, this is going to hurt, but in a few minutes you won't feel anything." Rose turned her head away and squeezed her eyes shut. She felt his long fingers feel for the right nerves, then the familiar pinch of the needle going into her skin. Rose whimpered, her already pain blasted nerves screamed in protest as the Doctor injected the pain medication into her wrist and hand. Then, it was over, Rose opened her eyes as she turned back to look at him. For the most part, his face was a blank mask. He hated to see Rose in pain and know he was the cause of it. Yet a soft smile dawned on his face as he said,

"Brave girl. That's my brave girl. I should be able to repair most of the damage, but some deep damage will remain, so your body can heal itself. You'll remain in a splint for maybe a week or two, okay?" Rose gave a weak nod, she now was feeling tired. The Doctor kissed her forehead before he ran his fingers over her temples and put her into a deep sleep. Not only would it help her gain strength to help in the healing process, but also it would help with the pain.

The Doctor forced down his anger as he focused on healing Rose's broken wrist. He ran his fingers through his hair as he looked at Rose's swollen wrist. He'd more than wanted to go back and teach that brat a lesson! Yet he had to focus on Rose, she came first. He exhaled slowly as he began to work on Rose. He ran a small x-ray scanner over her wrist, pin pointing the largest break first. He doubled checked it by feeling for the break in the bone, he found it easily. Rose's peaceful face twitched into a painful wince when the softest pressure was placed on the bone. The Doctor felt his stomach drop at the painful look on her face. He ran his fingers over her forehead, checking her subconscious for pain. There was none.

With a sigh of relief, he rubbed large amounts of the bruise ointment on her wrist and hand, to clear up the bruises and swelling. Gently, he forced the broken bones to meet perfectly, using the x-ray scanner to double check. Once the bones were back in place, he took the splint and strapped it to the underside of her wrist. Holding the splint in place, he wrapped the bandages around her wrist and hand. Once the bandages were in place, he took the athletic tape and wrapped in certain places around her wrist and hand to hold the crucial broken bones in place. Whenever his mind wandered his eyes landed on Rose's sleeping face, he'd smile at the peaceful look on her face.

Once finished he ran his fingertips over Rose's forehead, pulling her out of the healing coma. Rose blinked, her eyes and body still feeling heavy. Her eyes cleared to see the Doctor leaning over her. She gave him a weak smile as she said in a dry voice,

"Hey…" The Doctor gently brushed her hair back, "How did it go?" He merely smiled at her, Rose tried to sit up, but he forced her back down.

"No, no, you. You just need to rest." He went to a nearby sink and filled up a glass of water, he then pulled out two pills from the pain medication bottle and handed both to Rose, "Pain pills, drink up." Rose was thankful for the water, her throat was dry, and her wrist was starting to throb now that the pain medication shot was wearing off.

"Thanks…" she said softly, placing the glass on the tray. The Doctor then gently took her wrist and pulled out a small tool that looked like a small flashlight with numerous buttons.

"This might sting a bit. This is going to heal the majority of the damage; the large bones will only be partially healed, thus allowing your body to heal on its own." He switched on three settings and pressed a blue button making the device emit the same color of light. Rose watched in amazement as he ran the device mere centimeters above her arm. The instrument gave a slight hum that was not as loud as the Sonic Screwdriver. Rose settled her head against the pillows as she tried to relax. Then her arm began to sting, at first it was like a bee sting that slowly increased in pain that felt similar to when Howell broke her wrist.

"Relax, Rose, easy, easy…Do not tense up," he said softly, as he moved the light faster and faster over her arm. He gently flipped her arm over and began to do the same thing to the other side. Rose clenched her teeth as her back arched slightly off the table with pain. Tears stung in her eyes and dripped down her face. Within seconds, it was over, the pain slowly fading slightly as the pain pills kicked in.

"Oww…" Rose groaned, using her uninjured hand to wipe the tears off her face, "That hurt…" The Doctor gently wiped the remaining tears off her face with his thumbs saying softly,

"Shhh, it's alright, it's all over. Now, rest. I'll be here when you wake up." Rose looked up at him as her eyes blurred with sleep, she gave him a weak smile.

"Thank…you…Doctor…" Rose sighed softly as her head slumped to one side as she slipped into a deep sleep. The Doctor sighed as he smiled down at Rose, it would be best to leave her here for now. She needed the rest and moving her would only cause more discomfort and pain. The Doctor left the infirmary and gathered a few things that were broken that he been meaning to fix but did not have time for. Gathering the things that needed to be fixed and his tool kit, he went back to the infirmary. He grabbed and nearby chair pulling it next to where Rose was sleeping. He ran his fingers over her temples, checking her pain thresholds, they were perfectly fine; she was in a deep sleep. He pressed a soft kiss against her lips whispering,

"Sleep well, Rose. My brave Rose…"

As Howell watched the TARDIS dematerialized away into thin air, he promised himself that he would get Rose back. No one, Time Lord or otherwise was going to get in his way. Even if that meant he had to kill to regain Rose…

_Note: __Oh__ boy__…__*ducks __under __my __bed*__ This __can __only __end __with __tears __and__ bloodshed! __All__ love __triangles __do!_


	12. Chapter 12

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Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it is owned by the lovely BBC!

**Chapter 11: Being Watched**

**Three Months Later**

**Planet—Earth **

**Country—England**

**City—London**

**Powell Estate, Bucknall House, Flat 48—Home of Rose Tyler**

Rose groaned as she rolled over in her bed, her blonde hair frizzy and standing on end. There were odd noises coming from the kitchen. Rose blinked as she cleared away the sleep and tears. Groaning she rubbed her face vigorously. Shaking the sleep out of her system she looked at her surroundings and frowned for a moment. She was no longer on the TARDIS, but in her own room in her mum's—no, her flat. After her mum was declared dead after the Battle at Canary Wharf, Rose inherited everything. The flat was dusty and quiet seeing as it was the first time in months since the battle that Rose had spent a night here.

Within the days following the battle, Rose could not bare to sleep here, choosing to sleep in her room on the TARDIS. Rose ordered all power, water, cable, etc to be stopped since at the time she did not see herself returning to the flat anytime soon.

After attending a small funeral for her mother, over seeing her Will, the transfer of money and goods into her name, and paying the last of the bills, Rose left. She left this all behind along with the overwhelming grief that clouded her soul. But now that the grief was fading away, Rose knew she'd best return. To see if anything else about her mother's estate needed to be settled during her time away. The Doctor insisted they return and give the TARDIS a break.

"The old girl has been shipping us back and forth across time and space continuously without rest for three months. Let's return to good old London for awhile, eh Rose?"

Thus she and the Doctor arrived here four days ago to rest. Rose had to yell at the power and water company to turn the stuff back on and demand they turn it off in a week. They thought she was nuts…

Rose covered her face with a pillow as she flopped back onto the bed, her nightmares racing through her head. Maybe she was nuts…

What was wrong with her? That nightmare—no, vision—had came back again! After leaving Andorra the visions and nightmares had faded as fast as they came. Why were they returning now? Rose sat up as she looked towards the nearby alarm clock. It was 8:30 in the morning. In the morning light a silver frame gleamed, Rose reached out and took the frame off her bedside table.

It was a picture she kept by her bed. A picture of her first Christmas, her mum and dad on either side of her, pressing kisses on Rose's round cheeks as she giggled at the camera, her tiny hands reaching out. Rose sighed, as she pressed her head against her knees.

"Mum…" With these visions returning, she felt helpless. What should she do? Were they just a reoccurring nightmare or were they warnings? Rose figured that they were the latter. There were times like these that she needed her mum more than ever. Sure her mum may not have known whether or not these were just nightmares or visions, but she could have told Rose what she thought.

Rose smiled as she remembered her mum telling her to follow her gut instinct and if that does not work, then your heart. Staring at the picture again she wondered how her mum and alternate world dad were getting on? Her heart squeezed with pain, she would never know unless fate brought them together again…Rose snorted softly; _As if that will ever happen_.

She placed the photo back on the nightstand as she stretched. Should she tell the Doctor that the visions had returned? Throwing aside the covers, Rose shrugged, there were days when she wished her mum were still here. Rose pulled open the curtain letting warm spring sunlight pour into her room, making the pink walls seem an orange-red color than pink. Grabbing her fuzzy slippers and dressing gown she made her way down the hallway towards the noise.

There was then a loud bang and a shattering of glass. Rose stood still in the middle of the hall as she clutched at her heart from the shock of the loud sound. She then heard the Doctor groan and indiscernible murmurings under his breath. Rose rolled her eyes. What the hell was he doing now? She continued to move down the winding hall and came into the kitchen. She had to spin around and clamp a hand over her mouth to silence her laugh.

The Doctor was standing there at the stove cooking pancakes, dressed in Rose's mum's pink, frilly apron which in red letters spelled out, 'Snog the Cook'. It seemed he was upset with her mum's organization of the kitchen supplies and the fact that he broke a few dishes due to Jackie's odd organization of her dishware. Rose was about to make her presence known when another two dishes fell out of the cabinet and he promptly let out a stream of curse words.

Rose clicked her tongue; her cursing must be wearing off on him. The Doctor turned to look at her, surprised to see her. A bright grin filled his face as he walked towards her.

"Good morning, sleepyhead! Sorry for the mess…" he gestured to the broken plates on the floor, "You're mum's organizational skills needs work, I hope you're wearing shoes, ah, you are. Good, now—" Rose rolled her eyes as she promptly grabbed him by the tie and yanked him the rest of the way between them. She smiled as she promptly stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him to shut him up. He always rambled early in the mornings and Rose just wanted to shut him up for a few seconds. Rose released him, smiling up at the surprised look on his face. Her smile widening Rose played with the frills on the apron he was wearing.

"Good morning to you too." She softly pressed another kiss against his lips as she moved around him to retrieve a broom and dustpan from the pantry. He kept standing there with a dazed look on his face for several seconds as Rose began to sweep up the broken pieces. Rose then could smell the pancakes burning and she crinkled her nose against the smoky smell.

"You're burning the pancakes," she said simply, as she scooped up the remaining large pieces of broken plate.

"What? Oh no—" Rose smiled as she dumped the broken plates in the trash can as he continued to curse and fix his mistake. Taking out a hand held vacuum cleaner she finished cleaning the floor. The Doctor then balanced a large plate piled high with pancakes as he said with a grin,

"Crisis averted!" Rose grinned up at him in return as she put the cleaning supplies back into the pantry.

"Once again. Though Doctor, you do need to tone down you're cursing. I've been a bad influence on you." He spun around to look at her, his eyes wide as she looked at him with nonchalance. His pallor dropped as Rose looked down at herself, then over her shoulder, wondering what on earth was making him stare at her.

"What?" she asked with a shrug, walking towards the table. Within an instant he snatched her wrist and turned her around to face him. Rose could see numerous emotions flashing over his eyes, fear, concern and confusion being the most prominent. Rose cocked an eyebrow, what was he worried about.

"You understood me?" he asked breathlessly, Rose's eyebrow arched up even further as she nodded. What was he going on about? She heard him as clear as day.

"Yeah, I understood you, you were speaking plain English. Goodness Doctor, did that hit to the head in 1536 rattle your brain or something?" Rose pressed the back of her hand to his head; he wasn't feverish or anything close to it. Her eyes narrowed in concern as his pallor dropped another notch, "Are you alright?"

"Rose…I was not speaking in English…" Rose burst out laughing, of course he was speaking in English, how could he…? Upon seeing the seriousness of his gaze, her laughter died down as he continued to stare at her.

"You—you weren't?" she asked, her voice rising in pitch. He took a step closer to her, surveying her, his eyes dark and unreadable.

"I was speaking Gallifreyan, Rose." Rose felt her breath stop as her whole world spun before her eyes. Rose blinked to clear away the dizziness. No, that was impossible! She knew when he was speaking his native tongue due to the beautiful language, which rolled off his tongue. Even when speaking harshly the language was still beautiful to her ears.

Ever since Ion gave him those books, Rose had been receiving nightly readings about Gallifrey, from history to myths. Some mornings he'd quiz her on the information she learned the night before. She'd gotten better with each quiz, improving her knowledge more and more.

Recently he'd been giving Rose basic Gallifreyan words to learn and memorize, kinda like a spelling or word test. Even with months of practice and different vocabulary words, Rose could only understand correctly about ten words. Rose turned to face him as she leaned back against the counter, raising her head in defiance. He wouldn't catch her in a loop today. Rose's mouth twitched slightly as she said,

"You're joking right?" The Doctor shook his head; Rose's eyes narrowed as she glared at him. His face was impassive, his eyes dark with a certain glint to it. Her dark brown eyes searched for even the tiniest bit of wit or humor. A small smile quirked at her lips, he was toying with her. Playing some kind of early morning mind game.

"Alright, say something to me in Gallifreyan," The Doctor stared at her, Rose gave a grin, "Well, go on, say somethin'!" The Doctor ran his fingers through his hair as he sighed. When his eyes met hers they were soft with worry and he said,

"I'll say whatever you want." Rose then clicked her tongue as she shook her head, wagging a finger at him.

"You're still speakin' English, Doctor." Rose watched with surprise as a slight frown came across his face as he shook his head. She had expected him to laugh and say that she'd caught him red handed.

"I was not, Rose. Even now I'm speaking to you in Gallifreyan." In that moment the hair on the back of Rose's neck stood up as shivers ran down her body. This time she listened more closely to his words. Though to her ears it sounded like plain English, when she listened hard, there was something different about his speech and tone patterns. The words came out softer and with more clarity than they did in English. The underlying tones of some words when streamed together seemed to form a type of melody that her ears nearly missed.

Rose shook her head as she gave the Doctor an uneasy grin,

"Still English," she said softly, she watched something circle in the Doctor's eyes as he lowered his head, turning away from her.

The Doctor's mind raced, he saw it in her face. The smallest twitches of her brows and the way her eyes widened slightly at his words, he knew. She understood him. Understood every word as clear as a bell. This was not the work of the TARDIS, oh no, since the TARDIS was created by the Time Lords Gallifreyan was the natural language spoken between a TARDIS and her Time Lord. There was no need to translate it, especially for human understanding.

He made sure out of all the alien and human languages the TARDIS could translate for himself and his companions, Gallifreyan was never—_never_—to be translated into the companions' native tongue. It was strictly a language between the TARDIS and himself. He felt his stomach drop as he remembered the Bad Wolf's words. Clenching his hands into fists, his hearts began to pound in his ears, what did all this mean for Rose? Would she…?

"Doctor?" He spun around to see Rose leaning against the counter, arms crossed, and an angry flush on her face, "Because of you are just fooling around I—"

"What's the Gallifreyan word for 'fantastic' or something of that nature?" he asked suddenly, cutting Rose off completely. Blinking, her mind raced, searching for the Gallifreyan word that the Doctor made her learn weeks ago. Biting her tongue between her teeth, Rose thought for a moment before she gave him the answer. Upon hearing the right word the Doctor grinned brightly, clapping his hands.

"Well done, Rose. You've passed another one of my tests. All the Gallifreyan words you've been learning are giving you a basic understanding of the language." Rose gave him a playful slap on the arm as she pointed an accusing finger in his face.

"I knew it! I knew you were testing me!"

"Hey, soon you could be speaking it too!" Rose choked on a laugh at the thought of her learning a new language. An alien language at that too!

"Yeah right," she murmured softly, giving the Doctor a small smile, "Me learnin' an alien language? I may be smart, Doctor, but I'm not that smart."

"I don't know, Rose," said the Doctor lightly, tapping Rose's forehead with a forefinger, "For a human such as yourself, you're pretty smart. You devalue yourself too much Rose. It's not all about book smarts and A levels, it about using what is in here—" He pointed to her head, then to her heart, "With this, together, not all people can do that Rose. It's one or the other, but you use both at the same time. That is a gift." Rose's eyes twinkled as she smiled up in thanks.

"I think your mouth is just running away with you again," Rose whispered as she smoothed out his blue button up shirt's collar, "But thank you." She then pressed a kiss to his cheek as she sauntered over to the kitchen table.

Rose sat down at the table and helped herself to pancakes and a large mug of tea. The Doctor settled in the chair across from his companion, he nibbled at his own pancakes as Rose began to talk about what they could do today. Between sips of tea and fake, cheery smiles, the Doctor tried to figure out what in Rassilon's name was going on with Rose.

The rest of the morning was subdued but once Rose got over her initial anger at the Doctor's perceived trick, she found it quite amusing. She was very disappointed that when she tried, her Gallifreyan came out sounding odd. He found her disappointment amusing and concerning at the same time. Three months had passed since the Bad Wolf told the Doctor of the changes Rose would face.

The Doctor leaned back against the wall outside Rose's flat while she was getting ready. He rubbed his face with his hands trying to put together the pieces of what he had been seeing in the past few months. In a three months span of time, things happened that concerned him and now, he was really concerned. The Doctor reached into his pocket and pulled out a small DNA scanner. After twisting a few knobs and buttons the scanner played out a DNA signature. Rose's DNA signature. He had collected it from Rose when she first came on board the TARDIS so he could track her DNA signal if they got separated.

Imprinted on the screen was Rose's original DNA signature. After examining it the Doctor reached into his pocket again and pulled out a small vial of blood. Holding it up to the light the dark red liquid swished around in the vial. It was Rose's blood, he had taken it from her a few days after he fixed her wrist. He took it so that he could check for infections or other abnormalities. Her blood was clean but when he checked her healing bones, he found something that was impossible. Rose's broken wrist healed itself of the damage within only four days, a near week! A impossible feat for a human, a human broken wrist bone took ten to sixteen weeks to heal properly even with his advanced healing skills.

"What in Rassilon's name is going on with her?" Advanced healing, understanding Gallifreyan…these changes were coming ahead too quickly. It scared him more than he liked admit, what did this mean for her? If all this happened in the course of three months what would happen in three more months?

He smacked his palm to his forehead as he thought, _Yeah in the next few months maybe she will be talking back to you in Gallifreyan. Hell, she could be.._.He shivered as he gave the vial a good shake as he popped the top off and poured a drop onto a small tray. The very thought made him uneasy, the very idea of her…of his pink and yellow Rose sharing in his curse.

"Impossible!" he spat, as the scanner whirled, "Utterly impossible on every level and you know that!" He stared off over the city as the scanner whirled; he wondered why he was feeling so uneasy these days. Was it because of what was happening to Rose? No, it was something deeper than that, something or someone was coming. The scanner then gave a soft ding as the screen ran numerous numbers and words across the screen. A small scan of both DNA samples appeared and the Doctor stared wide-eyed at the screen.

"No…that—that can't be…" He pressed numerous buttons and ran the scan again. The same results appeared, he ran it a third time but once again the result was the same. The Doctor clapped a hand over his mouth as his hand with the scanner dropped to his side. His eyes squeezed shut in pain, unable to believe the data that was presented to him. "This can't happen, genetics don't work like this! Ever!"

The scanner showed data that made his blood run cold with fear. The image on the left showed the original scan of Rose's DNA from two years before. It was a simple, human genetic code, nothing was wrong with it, perfectly healthy. Yet the scan on the right showed her DNA he had taken months before. The Doctor opened his eyes as he spun around holding the scanner in the light so he could read it properly, hoping what he was seeing was just a trick of the light. It was not.

The new DNA scan showed her genetic code was changing. Rose's very genotype was changing which meant her very cells were changing. Flipping through the new data the Doctor's breath came in sharper with fear. Her chromosomes were changing from what they were all her life into something new. Human chromosomes only did that when disease started or when the combined maternal and paternal DNA mutated to produce stronger offspring. Rose was not pregnant nor did her blood show any sign of disease human or otherwise. Though mutations in DNA were mostly benign, these changes to her DNA were drastic, severely drastic. Had this happened to any other human, it would kill them out right from the enormous amount of changes to their structural DNA.

The Doctor enlarged the two DNA scans putting them side-by-side. The left normal human DNA strand showed a double helix with joint sections of genetic code. Her karyotype was normal, 46 chromosomes lined up into 26 groups of similar chromosomes. Yet the new sample was completely different, her DNA was now mutating to form a third helix to her normal formation. In addition, her karyotype showed that two new chromosomal sets were forming making her total chromosome count at 50. In normal humans, extra chromosomes meant birth defects or genetic diseases…but in this case…The Doctor felt his stomach drop as he turned the DNA strand this way and that on the screen, there was no mistaking it. Rose's DNA was slowly changing.

"Rassilon…" the Doctor groaned, many species had different codes, types and structures that created their DNA, yet only Time Lords had a triple helix DNA structure. The 50 chromosomes to the normal 46 of humans, explained a Time Lords' respiratory bypass system, two hearts and regenerations. No wonder she was healing faster and understanding Gallifreyan, her DNA was mutating into a half human, half Time Lord DNA structure. The Doctor tore at his hair as he began to pace, wondering how he could reverse this. A little voice in the back of his head told him what was done was done and there was no stopping it.

"There has to be a way!" he argued with himself. What would happen when that third helix and new chromosomal sets fully formed? How long would it take? How long had this been going on for? The Doctor stopped, surely not…The catalyst had to have been that day…Rose's glowing eyes, the Time Vortex, her tears as she saw everything…

"But I—I—" What did this all mean? The Bad Wolf said the power would not harm Rose, only change her. The changes, would they be mental like her understanding of unknown Gallifreyan words? Or would it mean physical and/or changes in her abilities? But what if the Bad Wolf was mistaken and that this would curse Rose until the end of her days? Or would she burn? Burn slowly from the inside out like she almost did on Satellite 5 and this time he could not save her. Her own DNA, slowly killing her…a horrible, painful death that he would have to watch, unable to do anything but comfort her in her final moments.

"No!" he shouted, clenching his teeth, "She will not die! She can't…"

There was then a sound of whispering coming from his left, the Doctor looked up from the scanner. He looked around, no one was there and when he listened he only heard the early morning stirrings of the city. His hearts pounded in his ears an all too familiar feeling came over him—the feeling of being watched. He turned off the scanner and slipped it into his pocket, shoving both hands into his pockets. The Doctor leaned against the wall as he allowed his superior senses to take over. Yet he couldn't sense anything that would give this thing away.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," he sang softly, his eyes looking to his left for the faintest sign of movement. For nearly two and a half months straight, the Doctor felt as if he and Rose were being watched, followed. Every time they'd turn around, no one was there. Even when they were across the vast space of the universe did that feeling not falter. Only when they traveled through time did the overwhelming presence leave. Thus, the Doctor had been moving Rose back and forth between the past and the future.

It was the same thing, he was sure of it. The tingling sensation of eyes bearing into his back and through him was always the same. He could sense anger and frustration from those eyes; it made him nervous. If this thing were coming after him, surely it would have shown itself by now? He felt around in his pocket for his sonic, his eyes darted to the door to flat number 48. At least Rose was still safely inside.

"If you're after me," he said softly, his brown eyes flashing at any movement, "Then take me. Come and get me." He knew that this thing was watching him, probably hearing his every word. When nothing happened, he began to wonder, what if he was not the target?

A shiver ran down his spine as his mind worked double time over the facts. The person could not follow them through time, just across the universe. If they were after him, surely they would have some form of transportation to follow him through time. There were many times during the past few months where he could have easily been overtaken. Like that time in 1491 in Spain when the royal guards locked him and Rose in a jail for heresy, unarmed, vulnerable. Upon reaching his conclusion, the breath left his lungs as if the air had been sucked from them. If they were not after him, then…

"Doctor?" The presence vanished the moment Rose appeared, the overwhelming, heavy feeling vanishing. Her voice broke his concentration and startled him. He yelped as he jumped several feet into the air, upon hearing his companion's voice. Rose exited the flat, locking the door behind her. Upon seeing the Doctor so lost in thought, she called out to him, making him jump.

"Sorry," she said softly, smiling as she shoved her keys into her pocket. The Doctor had a hand over his hearts as he forced himself to calm down; his hair was already standing on end as it was.

"No—no, I'm—it's—I'm okay, Rose." Rose grin her usual smile as he held out his hand to her, "Shall we go?" Rose nodded as she took his hand and matched him step per step down the numerous steps out of the apartment complex.

"So?" asked Rose, bouncing off the last two steps, "What are we doing today?"

"Just checking up on a few things," he said simply with a shrug. Rose leaned closer towards him.

"Like what?" Rose moved forward as the Doctor suddenly stopped, frozen in place. She did not even notice he had stopped until she reached the curb and realized he was no longer by her side. Upon turning around, she saw his eyes narrow as his brows furrowed in worry and apprehension. Rose turned around to see nothing but a half empty parking lot before her. What had he seen?

"Doc—" The Doctor grabbed Rose, pulling her close as he ducked them both around a corner. Rose then felt it too, the feeling of being watched. The Doctor reached into his pocket and pulled out the sonic, clicking the settings as his eyes searched for the culprit.

"Not again…" groaned Rose, she had hoped after hopping back and forth through time that whatever or whoever was following them would either leave or make themselves known. She looked over the Doctor's shoulder, looking for the smallest thing that was not right about their surroundings. Rose feared the person following them could be a dangerous enemy, who it was, they just did not know.

The Doctor released Rose as he checked the hallways behind them and in front of them, holding his sonic out in front of him. He then poked his head around the corner. There was no one there. Rose came up behind him whispering,

"Doctor? What is it? Is that—that person who is following us?" He turned to face her, holding up a hand at her. He then hissed back,

"Quiet, finger on lips." He then held up a finger to his lips and Rose gave a soft grin as she remembered the last time he made her do this in London 2012. She complied and put a finger on her lips. The Doctor mouthed, 'Thank you' then turned around the corner to continue investigating. Rose sighed as she leaned against the wall, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jacket. Who was this person following them?

There was a sudden noise of an aluminum can hitting a wall and the sound of glass bottles hitting one another and shattering. Rose gasped as she turned to look to her left down the long hallway. The hallway was empty as the noise echoed down towards her. Rose looked over her shoulder, the Doctor had not returned. She slowly began to move down the hallway, looking every few seconds over her shoulder to check to see if anyone was following her or if the Doctor had returned.

"Hullo?" called Rose, she moved down the hall slowly, her heart pounding in her ears with each step. No one responded to her call, only her own echoing voice. As Rose reached the edge of the hallway, she slowly gripped the wall and used it to steady herself. The feeling that she was being watched and followed increased; it was if someone was at her back.

"Hullo?" she called again; she then peered around the corner. Only seeing the apartment gardens on one side, she turned to the other side, which led from the gardens to another long hallway. Rose stood up and walked out into the center of the garden. Rose rubbed her arms as the sensation of being watched increased. There was then another noise, like whispered voices that made Rose turn to look at the hallway to her right.

"Who is there?" shouted Rose, this was starting to get annoying and scary. She looked over her shoulder back towards where she had just come from. The Doctor was not there. Nervously chewing her lip, Rose began to move towards where the noise came from.

"Show yourself! Now! This is _not_ funny!" she shouted, her voice cracking with fear. To her amazement, a shadowy figure appeared at the end of the hall. Rose breathed a sigh of relief. It probably was one of the tenants, Rose waved at the person down the hall calling,

"I'm sorry! I just thought I heard some weird noise back here!" Rose then stood there, hands clasped behind her back as she turned to look for the Doctor again, "He's still not back yet? Sheesh!" When Rose looked down the other hall again, the shadowy figure was still there, slowly moving down the hall towards her. Rose then felt her stomach drop, he was walking towards her and he had not yet identified himself.

"Umm…sorry. Who are you?" The person was still walking towards her; he did not answer her, "Hullo? Who are you? _Answer me_!" The person still continued walking towards her without answering. Rose felt herself glued to the spot though her head was screaming, _'Run! Run, you idiot! RUN!'_. Was this the person who was following them across the universe? What did he want? Who did he want? Her? The Doctor? Both of them?

He kept coming closer, yet Rose did not see his face. She slowly moved backwards stumbling slightly as she finally broke free of her transfixed stare as the figure got closer and closer. Rose then took off down the corridor she had just come from running at top speed. She could hear the figure behind her gaining on her, his footsteps pounding behind her. Turning to look behind her, she saw the figure running after her.

Tripping over her feet, Rose stumbled out into the parking lot. She spun quickly on the spot looking for any sign of the Doctor. Biting her lip, she knew she had to keep moving, she could hear that guy coming. Moving quickly, Rose darted down the parking lot, ducking into a nearby alleyway.

"Where are you Doctor?" she whispered, shutting her eyes for a few seconds. Rose could hear footsteps pounding as she heard a man's heavy breathing. She was tempted to look at who this person was. Gaining courage, Rose slowly turned just around the corner and peered out. She could not see anything but she felt that presence was still there. Looking down at the ground, she saw an old pipe and slowly picked it up. Getting a tight grip on it, Rose slowly walked out from behind the wall.

"Bloody hell…" she murmured softly, lowering the pipe, she shrugged. There was no one there, "What the hell is wrong with me?" Relaxing, she wondered if she should just stand here with her make shift weapon in the middle of an empty parking lot. Sighing she stood there, wondering where in the bloody hell the Doctor had run off to.

She then sensed a presence again; she felt her spine stiffen as the muscles in her neck tightened. A hand then touched her shoulder. With a terrified scream Rose jumped into the air. She moved back a few inches before she swung around, swinging the pipe with her.

"Whoa! Whoa!" shouted the Doctor, raising his hands, stepping away from her swinging weapon. Rose lowered the pipe upon seeing him, her breath coming in sharp and quick, her heart in her throat.

"Don't—do—that! You scared me! What the hell—" The Doctor corked an eyebrow as he raised his hands up in a gesture of neutrality. His looked left over Rose's shoulder to look behind her, Rose turned; there was nothing there. The feeling of being watched had faded, yet she still was tense, looking for any sign of something being off.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. It's just when I returned you weren't there," the Doctor said, reaching out to lower Rose's hand that still held the pipe. Rose dropped the pipe with a sigh as she looked over her shoulder again.

"Sorry," Rose murmured as she looked at her trainers, then looked up at the Doctor, "It's just—It's just someone was following me. Chasing me! He just chased after me! Not answering me when I asked who he was!" The Doctor frowned as he pulled Rose into a tight embrace. He could feel her shaking and during her explanation, her brown eyes were wide with fear. His eyes narrowed, as he looked around them for anyone, yet there was no one.

"There is no one there, Rose," Rose pulled away from him slightly, her pale face dropping a notch in color. He gently brushed her hair away from her face, "But I believe you, so stay by my side. Keep close." He took Rose by the hand, keeping her close as they walked down the alleyway Rose had hidden in. The Doctor took one last look over his shoulder, there was no one there, but he was sure someone was there…He tightened his grip on Rose's hand.

Hidden in the darkness of the alleyway behind an old shed was the TARDIS, Rose grinned up at the blue box as the Doctor took out the key from his pocket and unlocked the door. Rose followed him inside, skipping up the ramp, shutting the door behind her.

"Where are we going?" she asked, sitting against the console as the Doctor set the coordinates, moving about the console pressing buttons and yanking on levers. His face was set in a firm look; Rose frowned, what was going on?

"Earth to the Doctor…" said Rose in singsong, as her eyes followed him around and around the console, waiting for him to respond. He never did. Rose looked up as the rotor began to whirl casting turquoise light around the room. The ship jerked slightly as within mere seconds they landed. The Doctor then took off without a word; Rose followed him right on his heels. Just as she was about to shut the door behind her, the Doctor turned to face her.

"It's best you stay here," he said gently, pushing the door open as he tried to usher her back into the TARDIS. Rose frowned as she held her ground, what happened while she was gone for those brief few minutes? Was he worried about the person following them? Or was it something else? In response, Rose pulled the door shut behind her with a sharp snap.

"No, I'm coming with you." Rose then walked right past him as she made her way around the corner out onto a large wharf in the lower part of the business district of London. Looming overhead was the former headquarters of Torchwood, Canary Wharf. A shiver ran down her spine as she gaped up at the building. Rose squeezed her eyes shut as memories flashed over her mind from that day; a bitter taste filled her mouth as she wrapped her arms around her torso to protect herself.

"Rose?" Her head snapped up at the Doctor's voice, his brown eyes looked down at her with concern. Rose gave herself a mental shake as she lowered her arms back to her sides, looking back towards the building that had been a beginning and an end for her.

"I'm okay, I just…" The Doctor looked up at the building as he took Rose's shaking hand. He had hoped Rose would remain in the TARDIS while he ran his brief errand. There was still many a time where he misjudged Rose Tyler and this was one of those days. The Doctor turned to face her so he could look her in the eye.

"Go back to the TARDIS Rose and wait for me. Please," said the Doctor, their eyes meeting, her brown eyes widened when he said 'please'. Her eyes softened as he looked towards the Canary Wharf building. Rose followed his eyes, taking in the hateful look. Despite months had passed from the battle that nearly separated them, the Doctor still looked at the building with as hateful a look as ever. Rose gripped his hand tightly in comfort. They were together and they need not dwell on those past events. At her touch, the tension in his shoulders relaxed, but only slightly.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, her eyes landing on the floor where the Void had opened and finally been sealed off. He looked down at her, his eyes dark as he gave her a small smile; a smile that did not reach his eyes.

"To check to make sure our friends at Torchwood are not meddling anymore," he said coldly, as he shoved his hands roughly into his trench coat pockets. Rose frowned slightly; the TARDIS had picked up on no strange activity coming from neither this time nor any other close to it. What was he looking for in there? A cold chill then ran down her veins as she wondered, _Is he going to check on the Void? Alone?_

"I'll come with you!" Rose said quickly as she grabbed hold of his arm. She did not want him to go in there alone. What if something happened and she was not there to help? The Doctor gently pried her hands away from his arm, forcing them back down by Rose's sides.

"No, you stay here." Rose glared up at him, her eyes becoming narrow slits, "It's just a simple scan. One, two, three done. Only thirty minutes max, okay?" Rose shook her head; the Doctor frowned at her stubbornness. Couldn't she listen to him just this once?

"We faced the Void together, we can check on it together," she said coolly, crossing her arms over her chest in finality. The Doctor's eyes softened as he smiled down at her.

"It's a simple check, Rose. Besides if something does happen…I don't want to repeat what happened last time." He gently ran a thumb over her cheek, as the harshness in her brown eyes faded slightly. Rose sighed as she looked down at her trainers; he was only trying to protect her, again. As much as she hated being protected and treated like a glass sculpture by him at times, she knew he'd be faster if she stayed here.

"As much as I disagree with you," she whispered, looking up at him, "Okay." The Doctor gave her a smile as he pressed a thankful kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you, now, go back to the TARDIS." In return Rose rolled her eyes, why did he want her to return to the blue box? She could sense fear coming off of him though his eyes and voice did not give him away. Yes, he was fearful of something or someone.

"Is this because of what I told you about that guy?" The Doctor's eyes flashed for a second, but Rose saw it. Yes that was it; he was worried about her safety. Rose gently pressed her hands against his chest, she could feel his hearts pounding under her palms, "I can take care of myself, besides," Rose gestured to the busy walk ways filled with people, "If anything happens I can run to the TARDIS or scream. There are a lot of people who can hear me." The Doctor shook his head.

"I'm more concerned that this person, thing, whatever, who followed you—us—this morning is the same person who has been following us for the past two months," He took her face into his hands as he lowered himself to her eye level, "I will not see you get hurt, kidnapped or worse, killed because of this person. Whoever or whatever it is, I don't want to leave you as an open target." Rose lowered her eyes for a moment as the Doctor surveyed her face.

"I'll stay close to the TARDIS, just over there," She pointed to a bench that looked out towards the Thames and the main city, "That's as far as I'll go, no more, no less, but I will not be crapped up in the TARDIS while your riskin' your life over this stupid Void business again!" The Doctor looked towards the bench Rose was pointing to and back to the TARDIS. His mind quickly worked out how fast Rose could get to the TARDIS from that position if she was in trouble. With a sigh, he let go of her face and ran his hands through his hair.

"Alright, you can do that," Rose's face lit up as she hugged him in thanks, "But if you sense anything, anything at all, you run. You run as fast as you can and lock yourself in the TARDIS until I return. Got it?" Rose grinned brightly as she saluted the Doctor with a clipped,

"Yes sir!"

"I'll be thirty minutes, tops." Rose brushed her bangs out of her eyes as the soft wind from the Thames blew their way.

"If not, I'm comin' in after you!" She then gave him a playful shove forward, he grinned back at her as he started to make his way towards Canary Wharf. He then stopped and turned around, running back towards her. Rose felt her spirits rise; did he change his mind? He stopped dead, a few feet in front of her.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Keep your mobile in hand; I still sense that presence following us. Call me if you see anything out of place. I will come immediately." Rose agreed as she pulled her mobile out of her pocket and waved it at him. She should have known he would have not changed his mind. With another bright grin he turned and jogged away from her.

Rose stood at the railing, the cool breeze on the Thames felt good on her face. She sighed as she groaned internally.

"Bloody git." Rose rested her arms and then her head against the railing. She knew he was doing it for her own safety, but she did not see why. The Void was closed, was he afraid it would open again? Rose rolled her eyes, yeah, one in a billion shot that was!

Rose yawned loudly as the cool wind made her feel sleepy. With a sigh Rose stood up, rubbing her temples. What the hell was wrong with her? For the past month the visions had been coming nonstop. They morphed into horrible nightmares that kept her asleep until the early hours of the morning until she fell asleep from pure exhaustion and dreamed no more.

Unable and unwilling to bother the Doctor with her worries Rose wrestled with the visions herself. Telling herself they were just nightmares and nothing more. As weeks passed her sleep pattern began to go off course, causing her to be tired during the day. The problem was the nightmares just kept coming more vivid and terrible than the last, making it harder and harder for her to sleep.

A few nights ago she awoke screaming, she had to bury her face into her pillows to muffle her screams and sobs. It was pure luck that the Doctor was repairing the TARDIS at the time and was not in the flat when she awoke to her own blood curdling screams. It was getting worse and worse, each night she awoke with the feeling of warm liquid on her hands and the coppery smell of it in her nose. Blood. The Doctor's voice ringing in her ears that he loved her and not to blame herself as he died, unable to regenerate despite Rose's desperate pleas…

"Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it, Rose!" Rose slapped her palm against her forehead to shake the visions and memories from her tired mind. When she pulled her hand away, make-up was smeared on her hand. She had to use heavier doses of make-up to hide the dark spots under her eyes. As if that worked! Whether the Doctor noticed it or not was hard to tell, he did not ask her about it. If he did notice she was sure he was waiting for her to come to him.

With a sigh Rose sat down on the nearby bench, resting her head against the back railing of the bench. She shut her eyes and allowed the cool breeze and the dull sound of city life to lull her into a half sleep. She knew it was silly and stupid to fall asleep on the bench but she was too tired to care. Her consciousness faded in and out every few minutes between conscious awareness to darkened bliss of sleep. Rose did not know how much time had passed but she suddenly felt as if she was being watched…again.

She opened her blurry eyes to stare around her. There was nothing out of the ordinary or any signs that someone was watching her. Rose groaned as she rubbed her eyes and forced herself to sit up.

"Leave me alone," growled Rose under her breath as she slowly looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was behind her. She did not see anyone, but she could feel those desperate eyes bearing into her back. She gulped loudly as she clenched and unclenched her sweaty hands. Should she make a run for the TARDIS? The Doctor had told her if she felt uneasy to make a run for the blue box and contact him as soon as she was safe inside.

Rose fingered her mobile in her pocket for a moment before she pulled it out. Pressing the start button the black screen flared to life showing the background image as a picture of Rose in a stylish 1700's dress she wore to the Catherine the Greats court with the hoop skirt and layers of silk! Rose gave a soft smile as she remembered putting on the restricting dress with its layers of under skirts, corset, hoop, the painful shoes and the nearly thirty pound dress. With all the layers of pink and white silk, ribbons and lace Rose called herself a cake. The Doctor said she looked like a fine lady instead of a pastry as he helped fix roses and ropes of pearls into her hair. She finally did admit halfway through the day that she did feel like a lady. Especially because of all the comments she received from the gentlemen in the Tsarina's court! (Much to the Doctor's chagrin.)

Blaring just above her head in the photo was the time, 12:11 P.M. Rose frowned as she stared at the time. The Doctor had left for the Torchwood building around 11:30 because a nearby clock rang the half an hour and they both checked the time before he left. She lowered her mobile as she looked over her shoulder for the Doctor. He had promised her he'd be back by noon. He was at least ten minutes late.

Rose quickly stood up as she held her mobile tightly in her hand. She said if he did not return at the appointed time she'd go after him. Looking up at the Torchwood building then at the people around her, no one seemed to be in a panic or seeing something that was amiss. Then the Void was still closed right? Shoving her phone into her jacket pocket, Rose began to walk towards the Torchwood building, determined to find the Doctor.

As she was about to reach the crosswalk, Rose felt a tingle run up her spine, the watchful eyes were on her again. Rose slowly looked over her shoulder towards a large grouping of buildings behind her. In the shadows of the buildings she saw someone duck back behind a building. Rose gasped as she felt her blood run cold, surely that could be…?

"Why are you following me?" whispered Rose, her eyes narrowing as she examined the spot where the figure had disappeared from. Rose double backed, this time heading in the direction of the TARDIS. Her mouth went dry as her heart pounded in her ears. Where was the Doctor? Why did he leave her alone? This was the first time that the Doctor had left her alone in a long time. Every time they traveled the universe he stayed by her side because those mysterious, watchful eyes would always be there. Only when they went to the past or future was it safe to leave her on her own for a while.

Rose's ears then picked up on the sound of footsteps behind her, walking fast, towards her. She did not dare look over her shoulder. She reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out her TARDIS key while the other hand grabbed her phone. Her fingers dialed the TARDIS, which had a direct link to the Doctor with their telepathic connection. She did this without even looking at her phone as she looked over her left then right shoulder for any sign of the person following her.

"Get lost," Rose spat under her breath as she picked up her pace. Out of the corner of her eye to her left did she see the figure following her move from the shadows. Her heart began pound more and more loudly in her ears until she could hear her blood roaring in her ears. Her mind screamed for her to run all out for the TARDIS, her feet itching to move faster. Yet Rose knew the instant she ran, she'd tip off the figure in the shadows she knew he was following her and he could be faster than her. The figure could easily grab her before she reached the TARDIS and the Doctor would never know…

Breathing in a deep breath, she studied her phone again. 12:15. Rose's eyes flickered towards the alleyway where the TARDIS was. The figure behind her was moving in closer.

"Where are you Doctor?" Rose mumbled to herself as her finger hovered over the send button on her phone. Seeing the figure move sharply out of the corner of her eye, Rose decided—she bolted. She took off as fast as her feet could carry her. Pressing down on the send button on her phone, she hoped the Doctor would come. Her breath coming in sharply, her feet pounding against the pavement, she was dead sure the figure was following her, running after her.

"Come on, come on!" she whispered to herself as she made it to the alleyway and surged around the corner. In her desperation to get away she did not see a person walking right in front of her. She bumped into the person, snapping her out of her own thoughts. As she stumbled back, leathered hands grabbed her, large hands.

"I'm so sorry sir, I wasn't—" A familiar voice broke through her own, alight with humor and shock.

"Rosie? Rose Tyler?" Rose's head snapped up at the voice. A voice she'd thought she'd never hear again. Still holding onto her was a man, he stood upright in a black trench coat and oddly enough, a suit. His dark hair was combed back neatly as it always had, but his dark bangs fell in front of his dark eyes like a model's would. His chiseled features and dazzling white smile would enchant any woman, making her fall into a puddle at his feet. Hell, he enchanted Rose for a few hours during the London blitz in 1941. This man she knew all too well, a friend whom she thought was still in the future. The Time Agent extraordinaire, debonair and devilish in every thought and action was…

"Jack? Captain Jack Harkness?"

_Note: *Runs around with pom-poms* Jack is Back! Jack is Back! Hurrah! *Grabs him by the collar and kisses him* Plus I'm back in school so please be patient with me!_


	13. Chapter 13

Please Review! The faster the reviews are, the faster the post!

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it is owned by the lovely BBC!

**Chapter 12: One Weird Day After Another**

The Doctor stood before the blank white wall, the place where the Void had been. The white walls gleamed in the early afternoon sun, blinding the Doctor momentarily. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his trench coat as his brown eyes roamed the pristine white walls. He turned to look over his right shoulder to see the cranks were no longer there. It looked like someone had taken the liberty to blow them up due to the scorch marks and the twisted metal that remained.

"Humph!" Someone should have done that a long, long time ago. His eyes then landed on a magnetic clamp that was still attached to the large metal pole. His eyes narrowed and darkened as an image of Rose letting go of the clamp and sliding to the crank flashed over his eyes.

"Stop it," he commanded himself; smacking his head, "She's with you. She's safe." Yet when he looked up again, the vision was still there, Rose clinging in midair to the now missing crank. He could hear his own fearful, terrified cries ringing in his ears. He sharply turned away as his own voice screamed Rose's name in raw terror.

Opening his eyes, he forced himself to walk to the wall. Pulling out a pair of old fashioned 3-D glasses, he slipped them over his eyes as he stood within three feet of the wall. The swirls of energy that had been there before were no longer there. Not anywhere in the room. Everything was blank and clean—the Void was closed. Closed for good. Removing the 3-D glasses the Doctor put them back in his pocket.

With a steady hand, he rested it against the cool wall and closed his eyes. As a Time Lord he could sense riffs in time and space. Even the smallest hole could be detected millions, no, billions of light years away and thousands of years in the past or future. There was nothing, just a blank wall. With a sigh, he opened his eyes and removed his hand quickly from the wall as if he had been burned.

Taking a few steps back, the Doctor glared at the wall, his anger and pain radiating off him. He hated this place; absolutely _hated_ this place and it took a lot to make him hate someone, something, or somewhere. But he hated this place. This very building, this very room nearly cost him Rose. And yet, it was this place that brought them together. Finally allowing him to unglue his tongue and tell Rose how he really felt about her.

"Sealed shut," he said softly, "That's how it should be." He then turned and made his way back towards the lifts. Somehow, these things were still working. Someone forgot to turn off the power. He pressed the button for B5, the farthest most basement room where Torchwood had kept its stolen alien technology. Humming softly along with the generic lift music, the Doctor was quite surprised when he reached the designated floor.

"What do we have here?" he asked himself softly, stepping out of the lift. The basement was dark, the flickering of broken lights showed empty crates littered about the basement. The Doctor strolled in between crates ranging from small to crates nearly as high as the ceiling.

"Must have cleared everything out." He kicked a spare rock as he moved about. Halfway in the middle of the basement, he stopped. That overwhelming feeling of being watched ran down his spine again. Yet this time he could sense numerous pairs of eyes watching him. He pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver, his eyes flashing in the dim light for any sign of the people watching him.

"I know you're there!" he shouted, grinning slightly, "Show yourself." There was no answer, but he still felt the eyes trained on him. He spun on the spot, the tails of his trench coat swinging with him. He was pretty sure they were surrounding him, hidden deep in the shadows. With a bright grin on his face, he rocked back and forth on his heels saying,

"Pretty please with a banana on top?" The response to his question was a sharp pain in his right shoulder. Clutching his shoulder, he pulled his fingers away to see bright red blood on them. There was the smell of blaster fire, which gave off a smell similar to gunpowder but more metallic in smell.

"I guess not," he said simply as another blast rang out. He instantly ducked, avoiding this one. He raised his Sonic Screwdriver as he tried to detect where the shot had came from based on the trajectory of the shot that hit him and this new shot. (Which left a large hole in the crate just to his right). He did not have to wait long.

Another shot rang out through the echoing basement, the flare of the muzzle flashing brightly in the dimly lit room. The Doctor ducked and rolled away, thankful that Torchwood had left behind all these empty crates. Someone shouted something and numerous guns opened fire. The Doctor had to keep moving until numerous crates surrounded him on all sides, protecting him from the gunfire. Little good it did him as the blasters tore the wooden crates to shreds.

"A gun fight, huh?" he asked softly, he detected between ten to fifteen gunmen. Overkill if you asked him to kill just one man. The Doctor's mind raced as he tried to think of a way to get himself out of here without being shot again or worse killed and forced to regenerate again. Rose would not be happy about that!

He noticed that hanging above the gunmen surrounding him were numerous light fixtures. The LED lights flickering in and out. The Doctor grinned as he raised his Sonic Screwdriver, allowing one of the light fixtures to drop just slightly overhead.

With a grin, the Doctor caused the numerous lights to fall to the ground, shattering on the floor stopping the men on the left side of the basement in their tracks. Whirling around, he did the same thing to the other side, plunging the room into darkness. Grunting in pain, the Doctor moved towards an illuminated corridor to the right. Upon reaching the door, he took off down the hallway, wanting nothing more than to get away from these guys. As he ducked left down corridor he could hear someone shouting instructions to the men to chase after him. The Doctor wondered vaguely if these were the people chasing after him and Rose.

"Rassilon! Rose!" whispered the Doctor under his breath. Rose was all alone, he left her vulnerable! Swearing under his breath he ran faster, crashing through doors and up numerous staircases. He did not care about the pain radiating from his right shoulder, his only thought was getting to Rose before these guys did.

As he reached the basement floor one, he grinned to himself, he was nearly there. Upon reaching the lift, the Doctor stabbed at the first main floor button then leaned back against the wall, breathing hard. Let's see those guys try to out run him! With a large grin the lift dinged, telling him he had reached the main floor. When he stepped out, he felt someone was there. Raising his Sonic Screwdriver, he tried to discern how many people were there.

"Who are you? What do you want?" There was no response, his voice echoing down the corridors. The broken lights flickered ominously, making things seem jumpy. This was not good. Upon hearing no response, the Doctor found the sign that led to the exit. He slowly moved in that direction, his every sense on edge. A slight grin filled his face; maybe these guys were too scared to face him in the light.

"Come on out you cowards!" he roared, a grin now spreading across his face. The Doctor then heard a gun cock from behind him. He then felt the barrel being pressed against his neck, the cold metal stinging his skin. The Doctor lowered his Sonic Screwdriver as he forced himself to relax.

"So, you've shown yourself. Let me see who I'm up against." The gun was then jabbed hard into the back of his neck making him wince when he tried to face his opponent. The Doctor raised his hands up in submission as he shrugged, "Fine. You don't want to be seen. Okay. That makes you a double coward: attacking from the shadows and not showing your opponent your face. Real man of honor."

He instantly regretted his words as a growl came from the man. He instantly was overwhelmed by pain as the man hit his already injured shoulder with the butt of his gun. The Doctor stumbled forward as his vision hazed over with pain. Gripping his shoulder, he raised his Sonic Screwdriver again, turning to face the man. He was still hidden in shadow, but his gun could be clearly seen glimmering in the light.

"I will kill you, Time Lord!" spat the man, pointing the gun right at the Doctor's head. His brown eyes widened as the voice floated to his ears. He recognized it immediately; his hearts then sank as a terrible feeling crashed about him.

"You—I _know_ you!" he shouted, aiming his Sonic Screwdriver just slightly above the man at the broke light fixture above him. The man nodded in the darkness, a glint of light flashing across his canine like teeth.

"Yes, you do," said the man softly as his finger wrapped around the trigger. The Doctor growled under his breath as he spat,

"You'll _never _get her. She'll _never_ be yours." The man lowered his gun slightly as he laughed a cold, cruel laugh.

"I'll be the judge of that, Time Lord!" The man then began to squeeze the trigger and the Doctor braced himself for pain. There was a sudden bang as another figure entered the room, breathing hard.

"My lord! The girl she—" The Doctor's hearts stopped for a millisecond, the man turned to look at the newcomer, his gun still pointed at the Doctor as he shouted,

"Yes, yes, what is it?"

"She got away! There was a man—" The Doctor acted, he activated his Sonic Screwdriver, causing the already loose screws to come undone, dropping the light fixture right on the man. The Doctor didn't even stay to see if it hit the intended target. He bolted for the exit, his hearts in his ears as panic screamed through every cell in his body. There was a blare of a blaster shot and the indiscernible shouting of the man in charge.

The Doctor then heard the buzzing of his phone in his pocket. Without breaking his pace he pulled it out and tapped the start button. Blazing across the screen was a number and a name.

Rose.

"Rassilon, no!" he whispered as he clicked the phone on and pressed the phone to his ear. He could hear nothing but the rushing of wind and the pounding of footsteps.

"Rose! Rose? Answer me! ROSE?" he shouted into the phone as he shoved his uninjured shoulder into another door. He could see sunlight, he was near an exit, and he had to go faster. No one answered, but he could faintly hear Rose breathing heavily, she was clearly running. He swore he could hear her say,

"'Come on, come on!'" The Doctor felt his hearts jump into his throat when he heard Rose and the phone solidly slam into something. He could hear her grunt, then cry out as the phone went dead.

"ROSE!" he screamed, his fear turned into absolute mind numbing panic as he threw open the final door into the bright afternoon sunlight. If he had assumed correctly about who those guys were, Rose was in danger. More danger then he first suspected. He now knew who had been following them for the past two months and his suspicions proved to be true. They weren't after him.

They were after Rose.

"Please, please be there…" he pleaded to himself and to Rose as he prayed she'd still be there when he arrived. If she wasn't, he didn't know what he'd do.

**Meanwhile with Jack and Rose…**

"Jack? Captain Jack Harkness?" cried Rose, as she looked up in shock at the handsome face grinning down at her. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before the rogue captain swept her up into a tight embrace.

"Rosie! Rosie! Oh how I've missed you!" Jack picked her up off the ground and swung her around. Rose giggled slightly as she was lowered to the ground, feeling slightly dizzy. Rose swiftly clung to Jack's neck as she grinned widely as the captain held her.

"How did you? The Doctor said—" sputtered Rose, as she pulled away to survey Jack again. They'd left him on Satellite 5 to take care of the newly fixed future, that was what the Doctor had told her. Jack gave Rose a wink as he held up his wrist, showing off the all too familiar Time Agent watch.

"Time Agent, remember?"

The two stood in silence until a cold shiver ran down Rose's spine. It was then she remembered why she had bumped into Jack in the first place—someone had been following her! She spun around, her eyes narrowing as she searched for the shadowy figure. Everything seemed normal and the feeling of eyes bearing into her back had vanished the instant she ran into Jack. Jack, upon seeing her eyes narrow, began to look behind her.

"What is it Rose?" Rose placed a hand on Jack's arm to reassure herself that she was in the hands of a trusted friend. He was warm and solid, she could breathe easy for now, "Where's the Doc?"

"He's checking up on Torchwood and the Void," said Rose simply, her voice low and dark as her eyes continued to scan for the figure. She did not see Jack's eyes narrow and the grim look that came over his face.

"Torchwood? What have you guys done to be mixed up with them?" Rose turned to look up at Jack, seeing his dark eyes filled with contempt and confusion. Rose ran her fingers through her hair as she looked down at her phone. The connection to the TARDIS had been turned off when she bumped into Jack. Tapping the buttons rapidly, Rose checked to make sure the Doctor had not called back. He did not. Her stomach turned over as she realized Jack was still waiting for an answer.

"It's a long story, but the usual strange stuff, a werewolf, Queen Victoria, and becoming an enemy of the British Empire. All that jazz. Why hasn't he called back?" she groaned, doubled checking her text messages and voicemail. Jack placed a hand over Rose's.

"He's probably double checking things. You know how he is." Jack then looked up over Rose's shoulder at the Torchwood building then where Rose was staring at before. He had an odd feeling he could not place.

"What were you running from anyway?" he asked, Rose flushed as she slipped her phone back into her pocket.

"Someone was following me. Someone has been following the Doctor and I for the past two months and its been getting worse." Jack's brow crinkled as he wrapped a protective arm around Rose's shoulders. His hand pulled aside his trench coat to reveal a 51st century blaster holstered to his belt. Rose's eyes widened when she saw it and forced Jack to lower his hand and coat to conceal it once again.

"What?" asked Jack when Rose forced him to cover the gun. Rose raised an eyebrow that told him everything he needed to know, "Yeah, yeah, I know, little miss Doctor." Jack teased, making Rose stick her tongue out at him. He looked around them to double check that no one was watching them.

"Don't worry Rosie, I'll protect you until the Doc gets back!" Rose gave Jack a grateful smile as Jack looped her arm through his and together they made their way out of the alleyway. In the afternoon sunlight Jack stopped Rose and held her out in front of him.

"What Jack?" asked Rose, placing her hands on her hips. Jack merely swirled his forefinger in a motion for Rose to turn on the spot. Rose raised her eyebrows as she held out her hands and spun on the spot. Jack gave a soft wolf whistle that made Rose blush.

"Your hair is shorter, I like it." Rose then surveyed Jack; he had not changed one bit.

"You haven't changed at all." Jack winked at Rose as he slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

"That's what you get when you hop across time Rose. I'm still the same guy from 1941!" Jack then kissed Rose's lips, pulling away from her with a loud smack. Rose giggled as Jack offered her his arm again and they walked towards the bench where Rose had been sitting earlier.

"So, what have you and the Doc been doing since you left me on that God forsaken ship?" Rose sat down on the bench as Jack sat next to her. Rose then gave Jack a summary of the events between Satellite 5 and the present day. Jack whistled loudly as he settled back against the bench when Rose finished.

"You've been busy," Jack then sat up and leaned forward, resting his chin in his hands, "No wonder you got mixed up with Torchwood, the stupid bastards." Rose leaned forward as well, her eyes upon Jack, studying him. He was keeping something from her that much was clear.

"What do you know about Torchwood Jack?" asked Rose softly, Jack turned to look at Rose, taking in the serious look on her face.

"You really want to know?" Rose nodded as Jack settled back against the bench once again, running his fingers through his dark hair. There were so many things he wanted to tell Rose, so many things he wanted to understand, but he knew he had to talk to the Doctor first. He probably had the answers Jack was searching for.

"Torchwood is and will always be a secret part of the British government. It never truly goes away. It just changes form and goes underground more than once. This is one of those occasions," Rose's brow furrowed as she looked towards the Thames. So it had not gone away, it was just in hiding, "The CIA, Torchwood, MI6, the former KGB, the UNIT, they are all interconnected though their governments may not be. The threat of alien attack has been around as long as humans can remember. The world's governments have only been interacting with each other to protect the earth in the last century with the changes in technology."

"But eventually humans learned to live with alien kind," said Rose thoughtfully, "The Doctor has shown me that much." Jack nodded as he fiddled with his Time Agent watch; it had been broken since 1826…never figured out how or why it broke.

"Yes, eventually, but Torchwood will always be there as an intermediary. In the 51st century its not as powerful as it is in the 22nd or 30th centuries when there were major wars or inter universal changes, but as a Time Agent I had to go through Torchwood training. That's how I know about it and its past dealings." Rose bit her lip as she reached into her pocket for her phone again. 12:29. Where was he?

"Maybe we should go look for the Doctor," said Rose, standing up. Jack reached out and snatched her arm, making her look at him.

"He's fine Rose," Rose opened her mouth to ask him how he could be so sure when Jack responded, "Just trust him Rose. If he needed help, he would have called you by now. Let him go." Rose frowned as she slumped back down onto the bench.

The two sat there in silence, Jack looked back at the abandoned Torchwood building. He knew the history all right; he knew the Doctor and Rose were there that day. As his mind turned over the history, his stomach dropped. A list of the dead…the names, Tyler, Jackie, Tyler, Rose and Smith, Mickey rang in his head. He turned to look at Rose, no wonder the Doctor…

"I'm—" Rose looked up at Jack's words, he put an arm around her shoulders, rubbing them in comfort, "I'm sorry about your mum and Mickey." Rose's eyes widened as a soft flush filled her cheeks, her brown eyes flashed in pain.

"I'm sorry to bring it up, it's just—I remember the records and their names were on the list…with yours…" Rose looked away as her heart vibrated painfully in between her ribs. She did not blame him for bringing it up, Jack did not know. He did not know that they were sent to the alternate universe, that they were safe.

"Thank you, Jack, but mum and Mickey—"

"If it is too painful for you, Rose, if you don't want to talk about it—" said Jack quickly, cutting Rose off, pulling her closer. Rose flushed as she hugged Jack back in return before gently pulling away. The breeze picked up over the Thames making her hair swing in front of her face.

"No, no it's alright. Mum and Mickey are safe in an alternate universe." Jack's jaw dropped slightly. He had heard about alternate universes in Time Agent training; universes that could be very similar or very different from your own. A single event or person could rewrite one's very history. That at any given point in one's life there could be numerous alternate universes based on important life changing events.

"The Doctor sent Mickey and mum to live in the alternate universe where they would be safe. We went there once when the Cybermen came, my dad was still alive and married to my mum. They were wealthy but their marriage had fallen apart…there was no me…just a small dog named Rose." Jack sniggered at the thought of a tiny dog bearing Rose's name. Rose in turn sent a glare his way, which silenced him.

"Sorry."

"So, mum and Mickey are alive. My mum has dad again and…I have the Doctor. He tried to send me to that universe but I refused to be forced into a safe world. I promised him forever and I'm keepin' that promise." Seeing the blazing look in Rose's eyes, Jack rubbed his face as the death list kept popping up in his head.

"But why was _your_ name…"

"They posted my name by mistake…" Rose whispered softly, looking up at the soft blue sky, "But I _did_ nearly died that day." She did not see the look of shock that danced over Jack's dark eyes. She nearly died that day?

"How? How Rose? The records told Time Agent trainees that Cybermen and Daleks had somehow invaded earth through a portal called the Void." Rose nodded as Jack listed off the known facts from that day. "That Canary Wharf was the headquarters of the early 21st century Torchwood and within that facility they had been experimenting with portals to other worlds not knowing of the danger they were causing. That the Cybermen began to change people into—into unfeeling tin men—" Jack was cut off by a shiver.

Old videos had shown the trainees what types of creatures, aliens and other beings to look out for on their travels. Daleks and Cybermen were number one and number two on that list.

"The Daleks and Cybermen fought each other," Rose continued, her brown eyes misting over as she remembered that day. "Somehow the Cult of Scarvo survived what happened on Satellite 5." Jack raised an eyebrow as he frowned at her. What _did_ happen on Satellite 5?

The last thing he remembered was being shot by a Dalek then waking up gasping for breath…The Daleks had all turned to dust and there was no way…The Doctor sent Rose back to the 21st century, how did she know all this? How did the Doctor survive? His head whirled with questions but he bit his tongue as Rose continued on.

"The Daleks forced us to open up a Time Lord prison ship that held thousands of Daleks. The Doctor and I forced the Void open and…" Rose fell silent as Jack slowly began to comprehend the information. Though months had passed since the battle, for Rose it was still complicated to talk about. Rose felt Jack place a warm hand over hers. His dark eyes were soft with understanding and sympathy.

"Torchwood was irresponsible to open up the Void like that. The losses could have been much worse than what they were." Rose nodded, at least two hundred plus people died during the attack. Rose's mum and Mickey were thought to be another tragic loss of life…It was hard for Rose to hear weeks afterword from neighbors and friends alike how sorry they were. Rose covered her face with her hands as she began to cry.

"Although mum and Mickey are safe in the alternate world, I miss them so much! To hear so many people say, 'I'm sorry for your loss,' nearly made me go mad!" Jack gently helped Rose sit up and handed her a handkerchief. Rose gently wiped the tears away, trying to avoid smearing her makeup.

"It is hard," said Jack softly, he looked across the Thames to the rising dome of St. Paul's in the distance, "To loose someone but not really loose them at the same time." Rose watched his face as she saw a flicker of pain cross his face. Who did he loose? Jack then gave her a sad smile,

"So what happened next, Rosie? Are you up to it?" Rose gave a small nod as Jack blinked in surprise at her. He then gave her a grateful smile as he looped an arm around Rose's shoulders in comfort. A soft wind blew as Rose rested her head against Jack's shoulder as she closed her eyes and began to tell her tale…

"Like I said before, the Doctor and I opened the Void and held onto the magnetic clamps as the Cybermen and Daleks flew past us. It worked at first but…"

"_Into the Void! HA!" cried the Doctor, grinning widely at Rose as the Void began to speed up in power. Rose cried out in shock as the force of the Void, lifted her off her feet. Soon Daleks and Cybermen flew past them in a whirl of silver and bronze. Rose ducked her head to avoid being hit. Over the roar of the Void, she looked over at the Doctor who gave her another grin. When he thought she was not looking, his face and eyes became a hard mask. She could see anger, triumph, pain, and sadness race through his brown eyes. Rose redoubled her grip on the magnetic clamp, wrapping her arms tightly through the handgrips. _

_Suddenly Rose noticed the pull from the Void had lessened and was slowly getting weaker. The crank on her side was slowly slipping, causing the Void to close. Rose looked to the Doctor, then to the crank and finally at the Void. Biting her bottom lip, she knew she'd get a scolding for this, but it had to be done! _

_The Doctor turned to see Rose let go of her magnetic clamp and with the force of the Void, slid towards the slipping crank. He felt his hearts stop for a fraction of a second. Even with the Void's power fading, she could still be sucked in. Rose grasped the crank and put her full weight behind it. Slowly she worked it back into place with a click. She turned to look at the Doctor and grinned. He did not grin back. _

_The Void's power began to pick up again; Rose had no way to get back to her clamp. She tried to reach out for it with her left hand, but it was too far away. Cursing under her breath, she held on tight as the power began to sweep harder and harder through the room, Rose felt her feet leave the ground. Now she was horizontal in the air, her hands gripping on tightly to the crank. _

"_ROSE!" screamed the Doctor. With tears in her eyes, Rose looked at him. Fear and horror were written all over his face. He gripped his clamp hard with one hand and tried to reach her with the other. Rose gave a small laugh; there was no way he could reach her! They were about fifteen feet apart! Rose then felt something scrape pass her side and with a jolt, one hand slipped from the crank._

"_NO, ROSE! HANG ON!" she heard the Doctor scream over the roar of the Void and the screams of the Daleks. _

_Rose had a fledging grip on the handle as the Void pulled in Daleks and Cybermen, flying past her head at eighty miles per hour! One well placed piece of metal on her head and she would have been sucked into the Void with no way out. But Rose held on, she knew she had to. She shut her eyes and gripped the metal bar with all the strength she had. Her entire hand was white from the effort, her arm muscles straining to keep herself in this world. _

_The thing that drove her to hold on was the Doctor's voice. Over the roar of the Void, she could hear him screaming for her to hang on, to not leave him. Upon hearing the desperate, overwhelming sadness in the Doctor's voice, Rose steeled herself to stay here even if the effort killed her! With a sudden burst of energy and inhuman strength, she was able to wrap her free arm around the metal pole and was then able to loop her legs and arms around the pole, holding her in place. How she did it, she had no idea. Those few minutes felt like hours and Rose had no memory of it._

_Rose was vaguely aware of the portal to the Void closing behind her. Her entire being was solely focused on hanging onto that pole; she barely noticed herself slide down the pole until her tiptoes hit the ground. When her feet touched the floor, she opened an eye. No more wind, flying metal men and Daleks, it was all gone. Rose slowly stood up to her full height, her arms, legs, torso, hell, her entire body was as tense and tight as a coiled spring. _

_She vaguely remembered looking towards the Doctor who was staring at her in shock as his feet hit the ground. She gave him a large smile saying in a mere whisper,_

"_We did it…" Suddenly her whole body relaxed, her legs collapsed underneath her as she crumpled to the floor. In the fading light she saw the Doctor call out her name as he ran towards her. In that instant, her mind collapsed as well, fading into darkness. _

_Exhausted, she had fallen into a dead faint; unable to believe she had been able to hold on. That she was still here with her Doctor and she survived. In her dark haze the voice of the Beast echoed in her head from the Pit. 'The valiant child who will die in battle so very soon!' She had feared those words despite what the Doctor told her. She had been so close, so close…_

"_Rose! Rose! Come on wake up. Please! ROSE!" shouted a voice over her head. Her eyes snapped open to find the Doctor cradling her in his arms. Rose had to blink several times before she slowly sat up._

"_Is it over?" she asked him stupidly. So many emotions were clashing over the Doctor's eyes that her tired brain could not comprehend them all. She never got that answer. The Doctor pulled her into a tight embrace, which Rose returned with her remaining strength. _

"_Oh Rose…I was so afraid you were going to…" He pulled away to cup her face, taking in every detail. Rose stared up at him, shocked; he was on the verge of crying. Rose gently ran her thumb down the side of his face. She did not want him to cry for her, she was not worth it. The Doctor pulled her to him again. She could feel him shaking, she vaguely wondered if that was just her. _

"_Shh," she soothed rubbing his back, "I'm here, I'm here. I held on…" The Doctor surveyed her face, his emotions dancing between still lingering fear, anger and happiness. He then poked her forehead, and then glared at her softly. _

"_I thought I told you to stay in the other universe!" Rose weakly settled back against a column as she gave the Doctor a simple smile. _

"_I was not leaving you to do this alone. I told you I was staying forever. Besides—" she said simply, gesturing to the large, blank wall before them, "—You needed my help." She then haughtily raised her head and crossed her sore arms across her chest. The Doctor shook his head._

"_I was trying to keep you safe…" Rose smiled softly as she leaned forward and gently touched his face. _

"_I'm flattered, but I was taught when someone you love is in trouble. You can't run away. I thought you knew that by now." The Doctor's eyes went dark for a moment, as she was sure he was thinking of Satellite 5. Then as now, Rose nearly died trying to save him. _

_Rose shivered as she remembered the agony she endured trying to break open the TARDIS to her heart. Afraid that she'd be too late to save him, knowing that he sent her back home to be safe while he died hundreds of years in the future. That knowledge alone tore holes in her heart and soul. When the TARDIS's heart was finally breached, Rose pleaded for the power to save him. _

_The TARDIS granted her wish, her soft voice telling her the power she could grant Rose could kill her. But she did not care; she wanted to save her Doctor. The TARDIS softly thanked her and granted her the power she needed. The knowledge—infinity, space, time, life and death—flowed suddenly through her human veins. Rose could vaguely remember the agony as the power came to her. She then had no memory of what happened next. Of falling to the floor, clutching her body, screaming as the power tore into her and burned her. With a mere thought she sent the TARDIS back to where she had just left…With the power burning inside her, she saved him…_

_Rose gave a small smile as she gently brushed the back of her hand against his face. His brown eyes looked at her, the pain and fear of loosing her still within their depths. Rose then softly repeated what she had told him on Satellite 5._

"_I want you safe, my Doctor." _

_The Doctor looked away from her towards the wall. Rose wondered if he was angry with her. He jumped to his feet and slowly walked towards the wall where the Void had once been. He reached out and touched the wall. A large grin spread over his face as he clapped his hands and spun around. Backing away from the wall laughing, he did some sort of dance before running at the wall again. Rose could barely hear what he said, but she heard it._

"_Sealed shut. Forever!" There was anger behind his voice, she was sure his eyes were dark as they did when he was angry or upset. She wondered if it was because of the Time War, for putting this world in danger, for putting her life in danger or all of them together. Who knew? The Doctor then kicked the wall and shouted, "INTO THE VOID YOU GO! NEVER TO RETURN! HA-HA!" He then spun around again to face Rose. _

_His brown eyes were full of light and happiness as he sauntered over to where she still sat. He held out his hands and pulled her to her feet. Rose stumbled for a few steps, her body still shaking and weak. The Doctor held onto her as Rose steadied herself. Rose looked up at the Doctor; he was smiling down at her. _

"_Rose Tyler, Defender of the Universe!" Rose grinned back at him as she lifted her head high._

"_Once again!" she said, poking him in the shoulder. The Doctor shook his head; his Rose. He then reached out and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. He underestimated her again; she was much stronger than he thought. He tilted her chin upward so she could look him in the eye._

"_But at the near cost of her own life, once again." Rose frowned, this again?_

"_You needed my help didn't you?" she asked, twisting out of his arms, slowly walking away from him. She now was steady on her own two feet, but was careful to keep her sense of balance steady. "Besides, if I died the universe would still be saved and billions of lives as well!" When she turned to face him, the Doctor's face was unreadable. _

"_Rose, that's your emotions talking. Would you really want to put your family and friends through the pain of loosing you?" Rose surveyed him, his face had fallen into an unreadable mask again, but his eyes grew black with sorrow. Unable to look at the pain and accusations in his eyes, she looked down at her feet, no, she would not want that. _

_No one wanted to put his or her loved ones through so much pain. But if it meant that by her death, this world, the other world, everyone in the universe lived? She'd do it, over and over again! Besides, she was just one stupid human right? She then gave the Doctor a sad smile as she looked at him._

"_No, I would not want to put them through that, but if it meant they would live, then yes. Besides I'm just one, silly pink and yellow human, right?" Rose turned around as she stared out of the shattered windows out towards the business district of London. _

_Her world suddenly spun and she found herself facing the Doctor. He grabbed her face in between his hands and held her in a vice grip so that they were almost nose-to-nose. His dark eyes bore into her brown ones. Rose froze in fear. _

"_You are not dispensable, Rose Tyler!" said the Doctor, in a low voice; anger was the clearest emotion in his voice. Yet, yet there was something deeper in the underlining tones of his voice, fear, grief, even? "You are not dispensable to your mum, Pete, and Mickey!" He loosened his grip on her face, his eyes looking older than she had ever seen them; it was as if she could see the sorrows of the universe in his eyes. Something flickered in his eyes that Rose almost did not catch as he turned around, running his fingers through his hair. It instantly became messy, Rose giggled silently, he always did that when he was thinking or stressed._

_The Doctor paced to the other side of the room, trying to get his emotions under control. Why did she always place herself lower than others? Why did she think that loosing her life would not affect anyone? That she was just another blip on the radar of life? He leaned his head against the wall and nearly started to hit his head against it. How could she not see…?_

_He felt arms wrap around his waist. Rose rested her head against his back, waiting for him to speak. When the silence endured, Rose finally spoke._

"_I'm sorry…" she whispered, pressing her forehead into the softness of his trench coat, "But if giving up my life meant saving my loved ones, I'd give it up every time." She felt him twist around in her arms and she looked up into his eyes, they had softened at her words, he then gave a slight chuckle. _

"_I know you would, but Rose why can't you see that you are—Arrghh!" He began to run his fingers through his hair again, he stocked away from her again. He did not miss the hurt in her eyes. He turned to face her, his hands waving about as he tried to get the proper words out. _

"_You mean something to this universe, Rose! You are the Bad Wolf—you've saved the universe more than once. How can you think that by sacrificing yourself, no one would take notice?" Rose's lips twitched slightly, silly Time Lord. He saw the whole picture, time, space, what was, what could be and things that had not happened. How could he not step back a notch and see it from her point of view?_

"_Because…Doctor…" she began slowly, clasping her hands behind her back, "I'm human. I can only see so much. People die daily, hourly on this planet and ninety percent of them will not be remembered by the larger world." Rose turned away and began to walk towards the blank wall. She placed a hand on the cold, hard wall, her eyes narrowed._

"_That's true Rose but—" _

"_But, Doctor—" snapped Rose, interrupting him, "If I died saving the universe, only a few people would remember me, and mourn me. I'd just be another human dying," she said softly with a shrug, running a finger down the wall where the Void had once been. She turned to face him, a sad smile on her face._

"_Doctor, you are the last of your kind. You have more abilities and knowledge than I dare ever dream of! When I looked into the heart of the TARDIS, I knew that much." Rose could see his brown eyes were soft and full of love, yet she could feel the sadness radiating off him with each word she spoke. Rose faced the wall again, drawing circles around and around on the blank wall with her finger._

"_I may be able to save the universe a few times in my short life, but you—You can save it millions, billions more times than I ever could! So what's one, insignificant, useless, stupid human's life compared to the life of a Time Lord?"_

_When Rose turned around to face him, she wished she hadn't. His face was bone white, his eyes dark and laced with pain. He was shaking with fear or anger, which emotion it was, she did not know. Rose stood still as he marched towards her. She swallowed hard—the Oncoming Storm was here._

_The Doctor seized her by her arms and forced her against the wall. Rose winced slightly with fear and pain. Yet the instant she looked into his eyes, she knew he was not going to hurt her. Tears were streaming down his face, Rose's heart was in her throat. Why was he crying?_

"_So that's what you think? THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK YOU ARE?" he shouted, shaking her slightly, his voice cracking between words, "You think your life is—is insignificant and useless? That in a mere second you can decide to sacrifice yourself and that no one will notice? You are a fool, Rose Tyler. You are not insignificant and useless to those who love you! You are not—_not_—insignificant and useless to me! So, don't you dare think you can just throw away your life! Ever again! YOU—ARE—NOT—DISPENSABLE—TO—ME!" _

_Rose felt guilt well up in her soul. How could she say those things? Though to her, that's what her life was compared to his, but…Rose threw her arms around him, trying to comfort him. How could she let him suffer her own shortcomings? Didn't he already suffer enough? Rose bit back her own tears of guilt as she said,_

"_I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It's just—" The Doctor pulled away and placed a finger on her lips. He rested his forehead against hers saying softly,_

"_Shh…enough…" Rose scrambled to find the words again._

"_It's just I'm human and you, well—you're—you—and my life is—" The Doctor then covered her whole mouth with his hand. Rose looked up; tears still lingered in his eyes. Yet the fear and sadness had faded, warmth and love had replaced them. The Doctor slowly lowered his hand as he began to speak._

"_I don't want to lose you. I've lost so many people in my life. I'm afraid to lose you too. You mean too much to me. Never, _ever_, think that you can throw your life away! Never, _ever_, think, Rose Tyler that my life is worth more than yours, because it is not!" The guilt welled up again as she looked away from him, gripping his lapels in her shaking hands. Maybe he was right…maybe she devalued herself too much… _

"_I know…I just…I just don't want to lose you either…." Rose then took a deep breath as a flush rose up from her neck to her face. She looked up at him, a soft smile on her lips. She had been dying for ages to say this so…here it goes… "I love you," she said softly, watching his eyes, her fingers running down the side of his face. His eyes lightened as a wide smile filled his face, he leaned his forehead against hers, breathing in her scent._

"_And quite right too…" he said softly, pulling her closer to him. He watched the color in her face rise as her eyes widened in shock. Rose could barely breathe, "Rose Tyler, I love you." Rose gasped as she felt warm tears bottle in her eyes. She was unable to wrap her mind around his words. She merely stared just over his right shoulder in shock. He loved her? He was in love with her?_

"_For—" Rose licked her dry lips as she tried to force the words out, "For how long?" The Doctor merely shrugged, which earned him a playful punch from Rose, as she smirked up at him. His eyes glistened with humor as he watched her, taking in every emotion, every movement._

"_Honestly, I don't know…but maybe…maybe it had been when I believed you died in 2012. When I—when I thought I could not save you from that damn Dalek!" Rose gave a soft smile as she remembered his northern accent coming through the intercom system, his voice laced with shock and happiness at seeing her alive._

"_Couldn't get rid of me then, can't get rid of me now," she said softly, sticking her tongue out from between her teeth as she smiled at him. He gave a sad smile in return as he ran his knuckles over the side of her face. He could have lost her so many times; he couldn't even bear the thought of that—_

"_Yes. Maybe, just maybe I loved you even longer before that—" He gently cupped her face as he gave her a shy grin. Maybe he had loved her long before he even met her. He just could not place the start nor did he ever want to mark the end. Rose rolled her eyes at him as she briefly stood on her tiptoes to look him in the eye. _

"_You remember everything, how can you not remember that?"_

"_I really don't know when it began and I don't care anymore," he said softly as he stroked her face. He never wanted this to end; even it meant they were forever trapped in this moment of time. "I nearly lost you today, and I've just been too cowardly to say it before now—So I won't waste this gift, I won't hold anything back from you anymore. I love you, Rose." _

_He then brought her face up to meet his, their lips touched. It was like the soft kiss he gave her back on Satellite 5, a kiss Rose did not remember but the Doctor did. He had kissed her back then because he needed to save her life and it was the fastest solution to the problem of drawing the Time Vortex out of her. Though, to be fair, he did want to kiss her long before that. Back then, it was a mere kiss of life, but this time the kiss held had more meaning, more warmth. _

_Rose threw her arms around his neck, unable to comprehend what was happening. A part of her wondered if it was a dream. Their first kiss, well, the one she could remember. Yet had she known, she would have not cared any less at all. Her Doctor loved her! She could see it in his eyes, in his every move and gesture. She could feel it in the warmth of this kiss, this embrace that was so foreign yet so right for the both of them. _

_The Doctor wrapped his arm around the small of her back, his other hand still cupping her face. When they pulled away for air, Rose pulled his head right back down, kissing him with all the passion she had been carrying for months, no, years._

_When Rose pulled him back down for a deeper kiss, the Doctor seized her about the waist and pulled her as close as he could to him. Rose's fingers ran through his hair, as she felt her lips go numb from the force she placed behind the kiss. She was surprised when the Doctor pulled her close; they barely came up for air before the Doctor kissed her with such intensity it made Rose's eyes snap open in surprise. Within seconds, she kissed him back not caring her lips would bruise. Her tongue ran softly over his lips, trying to get a feel of how far she could go. It certainly worked, because the Doctor used his own lips to pry open her mouth, deepening the kiss…_

_If there had been anyone around, they would have seen the passion and long subdued longing between the two coming forth. As the kiss deepened, it seemed like they were trying to melt into each other, trying to link themselves together for eternity as one being, one person…_

_When they parted, the Doctor picked Rose up and spun her around. Rose threw back her head and laughed. She felt more alive than she had ever felt in her short life! She had survived another round with the Cybermen and Daleks! Survived the Void! She was in love! Completely, totally, in love! And the man she loved; loved her back! The world was perfect. Rose felt the Doctor stop and settle her back on the ground._

"_Oh my Rose," he said softly into her blonde hair. Rose giggled like a schoolgirl. His brown eyes were dancing with so much joy and happiness that she wondered if anyone person could feel that much. _

"_Say it again!" urged Rose, standing on her tiptoes, "Say it again!" The Doctor threw back his head and laughed. He then seized Rose around the waist and lifted her into the air again. Rose was reminded of the cheesy romance novels that her mum would read, sobbing and blubbering that it was so sweet, but those things only existed in fantasy! Yet Rose's world _was_ a fantasy—every book genre rolled into one. _

"_MY ROSE! MY ROSE!" he shouted to the skies, spinning her around. Rose then found herself on her feet again and whispered into the Doctor's ear,_

"_And you are my Doctor. Forever, _my_ Doctor…"_

_That day strengthened their bond ten fold. They knew then and there that they could face anything together. It was the start of a slowly blooming, new relationship between the two. _

Rose fell silent when she finished her story, her cheeks deep red as she stared down at her trainers, embarrassed. She then waited in silence for Jack to say something. The only thing she heard was that the former Time Agent let out a low whistle. It was quite a lot to take in. Within seconds Jack began to grin madly as he tilted his head back and began to laugh. Rose's head shot up as her blush deepened.

"Wha—what it is? What's so funny?" she spat, as Jack continued to laugh. Man, did he want a good, long drink right now! He knew it! He knew it! The Doctor was in love with Rose! Rose was in love with the Doctor! Ha! He saw that as clear as day when he first met the two back in 1941. Hell, the two did not even know they had been teleported up to Jack's ship since the two were so engrossed in dancing with each other.

Jack could feel the heat coming off of Rose's beat red cheeks and he could feel her eyes bearing into him. Yet, he did not care. He just wanted to take the two of them into his arms and hug the life out of them!

"T—took him awhile to spit out the words, eh Rose?" said Jack, lowering his head to look at Rose, winking at her. Rose then punched his arm in anger as she turned herself away from him. Jack's laughter died down as he checked his watch. 12:45. He wished the Doc would turn up soon; he had so many questions he had been dying to ask him for nearly two centuries.

Yep, you heard him right two centuries. Not long after he set things right on the future earth did a stray blast at a bar fight hit his time travel watch and sent him flying into the past. 1826 to be exact. Somewhere in the southwestern United States, in the soon to be state of California or so he thought.

From then on his watch did not work, somehow the blast had scrambled the watches systems along with its link to the vortex manipulator. He had been stuck there. Yet the stranger part was, he could not die. Oh, he died all right, but within ten seconds after death, he reawakened gasping for air as he did on Satellite 5. He was somehow immortal, never aging or dying, living through the centuries with no real sense of time.

"So," said Rose coolly, with her back still turned to him, "What have you been up to?" She finally turned around to face him once again, a spark in her eyes. Jack sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. Should he tell her? Everything? He looked up at Rose and remembered back over the past few decades.

He had watched Rose grow up from the shadows, never interfering, never speaking with her or her loved ones. He just was a silent guardian angel. So much so on the day she met the Doctor for the first time, he was hidden in the basement as he watched with a large grin as the Doctor appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Rose's hand and telling her to run.

Nah, he couldn't tell her…He had to talk to the Doctor first. So with a sigh he gave a brief summary of his comings and goings since they had parted. The truth was mixed in with lies and vice-a-versa. He didn't dare tell her he was immortal and had probably experienced every form of death known to man. He had been shot, stabs, bludgeoned, hanged, and drowned. (That was a nasty death he'd never want to experience again). Killed by explosions of every sort and then some along with other forms of death he dared not mention even to himself!

"So…that's what I've been doing. Came back here to see if I could run into you two again." Rose grinned her trademark grin as she rested her head against Jack's shoulder saying,

"Well…I'm glad you're back."

"Me too Rosie, me too."

**Back to the Doctor…**

The Doctor darted into an alleyway as the doors to the Torchwood building slammed behind him. Hiding in the darkness of the alleyway, quickly he tried to lower his loud, harsh breathing. Clutching his wounded shoulder, the Doctor listened intensely as he heard the doors crash open and numerous footsteps pounded against the concrete.

"Spread out! Search for him!" snapped the man in charge, his voice harsh and almost wild sounding. He sounded desperate to the Doctor. The Doctor rolled his eyes; of course he'd be desperate. Listening quietly to the sound of footsteps fading away as he heard the leader whisper something about Rose. Something about getting to her before the Time Lord did.

"Not on my watch!" The Doctor doubled his grip on the Sonic Screwdriver as he listened intently. As soon as the voices of the other men died away, the Doctor looked around the corner. He was still there, perfect. Ducking behind the wall, he steeled himself for a fight. With silent steps, he moved out from behind the wall, his Sonic Screwdriver raised, poised to strike.

"What the—?" There was no one there. The Doctor spun on the spot, feeling very, very confused. The sound of fleeing footsteps called him away from his own mind. "Rose!" He was going after Rose!

With a growl, the Doctor began to run towards where he left Rose. Yet with each step the feeling of being watched overwhelmed him that it made the blood roar in his ears. Out of the corner of his eye he saw someone move, he whirled around, his thumb hovering over the button on the Sonic Screwdriver. A gun was aimed at him from the shadows; he was unable to see the person holding the weapon. The Doctor's eyes narrowed, he was in no mood for games or gunplay.

"I'm in no mood to play games with you." Keeping his anger in check, his sole focus on getting to Rose first. The Doctor kept his voice low but deadly in its tone, "I suggest you get out of my way!" There was a chuckle that came from the shadows, a deep male voice. It made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as the gun's safety was turned off with a click.

"There is no escape, Time Lord. My master will get what he wants." The Doctor pointed the Sonic Screwdriver right at the gum aimed for him. A changed came over him that was so abrupt and terrifying it made the man in the shadows step away in fear. His stature seemed taller, his very presence became electrifying and his eyes…his eyes were the key. They were no longer brown, but black with rage and fury. There was a reason that his enemies called him the Oncoming Storm…

"To hell he is!" shouted the Doctor; "I suggest you prepare him for disappointment!" He then activated the Sonic Screwdriver, the blue tip lit up as invisible sonic energy sang through the air. The sonic waves caused the gun's functions to fritz. The man tried to fire at the Doctor, but all the good it did him was that it first blew up in his hands then fell apart. The Doctor then took off, not even looking back.

His sole being, sole focus was on his Rose. He had to get to her before…before _he_ did. Ignoring the mounting pain in his shoulder, he continued to run. He made it out to the main street. Not even caring that he was jaywalking, he bounced and spun around approaching cars. Curses and shouts came his way as horns honked; he merely gave them a small grin and waved his hand. Making it across the street without getting bowled over by a car, he ran as fast as his feet could carry him. In the distance where Rose had said she'd be, he saw a flash of blonde hair. Praying with all his might that it was her with each step he took.

"ROSE!" shouted the Doctor, the blonde haired girl turned to look at him; a bright smile lit her face. The Doctor slowed down to a slight jog as Rose stood up and ran towards him. He held out his arms towards her, happy to see her grinning face. Rose jumped into his arms as she threw her arms about his neck.

"Doctor, you stupid git!" cried Rose, her words slightly muffled by his shoulder, "I was getting worried about you!" Rose pulled away slightly, giving him a punch in the arm before hugging him again. The Doctor could breathe easier now, she was here, and she was safe. He buried his head into her shoulder, taking in the scent of her skin and hair. His hearts slowed down to their normal pace. Rose pulled down harder on his neck, causing his injured shoulder to twinge; he winced slightly but said nothing.

"Well, I was worried about you too," he said softly, lifting her off her feet for a moment, gently swinging her side to side before placing her back on the ground. Pulling away from her, he brushed the hair out of her gleaming eyes. He cupped her face as he surveyed her for any injuries as he gave her a small smile. He could not see anything, no bruises or blood.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt? I heard you running on the phone and then it just died. What—" Rose placed a finger on his lips to silence him. Her eyebrows rose in surprise that he had picked up her call.

"No, I'm fine, Doctor. Someone was chasing me, but I got away." The Doctor sighed with relief as his hands dropped to their sides, taking her hands into his. The clock in the square rang one in the afternoon. The Doctor raised his eyebrows as he then shot Rose a cheeky grin.

"So where was the Calvary, Rose?" Rose crinkled her nose at him, "I've been gone longer than thirty minutes!" Rose turned away from him slightly; gesturing to a dark haired man sitting on the bench she had just come from.

"I was going to come after you, but I ran into an old friend."

Jack stood up from the bench, an odd expression on his handsome face. An eyebrow corked high on his forehead. He watched Rose call out to the man who had screamed out her name, she called him 'Doctor'. He watched as the two embraced, the tall man picking Rose up and swinging her around. The two then spoke before Rose turned to look at Jack with a smile, gesturing to him. The man's eyes widened in shock as he stared wide-eyed at him croaking out,

"Oh boy…" Jack's eyebrows rose farther up his forehead as he watched Rose loop her arms about the man's waist, giving him a grin that was reserved for one person and one person only. No, it couldn't be…

"Doc? Is that you?"

_End Note: *pulls out a handheld fan* Goodness, is it hot in here or is it just me? *Grins and giggles madly* I'm a hopeless romantic! Even the smallest hint of a love story grabs my attention! But this is how I saw 'Doomsday' going down if the writers hadn't been so…so…cruel. *Grumbles and walks away from the computer for a few moments to vent* Anyway, let's move on!_


	14. Chapter 14

Please Review! The faster the reviews are, the faster the post!

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it is owned by the lovely BBC!

**Chapter 13: Talks, Walks, and RUN!**

"Rose? Who…?" sputtered Jack, shoving his hands into his pockets as he shifted his weight from side to side. Neither man made a move until Rose began to drag the unfamiliar man towards Jack. She playfully swung their clasped hands as she looked at Jack oddly.

"This is the Doctor!" Jack's jaw fell slightly as his eyes flickered up and down, surveying the man who was looking at him with dumb shock written all over his face. Jack pursed his lips as he shook his head slowly, nah; this could not be the Doc.

The Doctor he remembered was a bit shorter than him, broader in build and not as twig thin as this guy! The Doctor he knew had a bad boy look to him, black jeans, shoes, dark jumpers and a worn leather jacket. Not to mention the big ears and the close cut hair that made him look like a soldier.

It was the brown eyes that threw Jack off the most; there was more lightness to them than the old Doctor had. The old Doctor's eyes were the eyes of a soldier. Ice blue eyes that looked like they had seen too much suffering and death. Yet the saddest thing of all was the fear and pain in them. It was as if the man was scared to see more agony that the universe had to inflict. In part, Jack would be scared too knowing some of the things the Doctor saw.

"Doctor?" asked Jack, scratching the back of his head as he gave the man an uneasy smile, "Wha—what? _This _is the Doctor?" The man frowned, looking offended while Rose frowned as well, nodding her head.

"_Yes_, this is the Doctor. I _told _you!" Jack smirked, as he looked the man up and down again.

"Where's our big eared, blue eyed, leather wearing bad ass of a Doctor? Who replaced him with this _nerd_?" The man made a noise while Rose's frowned deepened. Nerd was surely the right word for him in Jack's eyes. He wore a blue button up shirt that was unbuttoned at the last two buttons near the top. A suit coat and pants of brown with blue stripes through them of all colors!

A brown trench coat that was inches from brushing the floor and Converse! Converse of all things and red Converse on top of that! Rose's head now reached his shoulder where as before, she and the Doctor had been better matched in height. He was tall and skinny as a stick with a long face that was now giving off a goofy expression. His brown hair was wild and messy, all over the place.

Jack slowly walked forward until he stood before 'the Doctor'. Jutting his chin upwards and narrowing his dark eyes, he surveyed 'the Doctor's' light brown eyes. Yes, the eyes had thrown him off at first, but the more he looked, the more he saw. There was lightness, happiness, and spontaneity on the surface. Yet then again, the old Doctor could be like that as well. His eyes were lighter; they were not as heavy with the sufferings of the universe as they once were. Jack wondered if Rose had something to do with that. Yet within their depths, Jack found what he was looking for; the darkness and palpable power that he had seen in the Doctor's eyes during the battle on Satellite 5.

"What did you switch out with my gun when we were running from those…those gas mask zombie…people?" asked Jack, tilting back on his heels, crossing his arms over his chest. The Doctor grinned madly as he said,

"A banana!" Jack's serious face melted away as a large grin replaced it. The former Time Agent threw open his arms and shouted joyously,

"_DOC_!" Before the Doctor could react, Jack swept him up into a tight bear hug. The Doctor winced as Jack's arms came into contact with his wound, squeezing the hell out of the already screaming injury, "I've missed you!" The Doctor pulled away slightly when Jack released him, gasping for air.

"How—how did you get back? What about—?" Jack waved a hand, clapping it firmly on the Doctor's shoulder as he waved off the question.

"Rosie can tell you all that later. Let me look at you." Jack brought a hand to his chin as if deep in thought as he circled the Doctor, once, twice, three times before stopping. "What the _hell_ happened to you?"

"Long story." The Doctor said simply, shrugging. Rose just stood there, still clinging to his arm as she watched the two men with a large grin on her face. Jack clapped his hands and rubbed them together as he cried,

"The ol' team is back together again!" He then hugged the Doctor and Rose again, grinning like a mad man, just happy to be back with old friends. Rose returned the hug with equal force, as did the Doctor after a few moments. The three friends smiled at each other for several moments before Rose broke the silence.

"Doctor—" the Doctor turned to face the blonde, Rose rested a hand on Jack's arm, "—Jack says he has some questions he needs to ask you." The Doctor turned to face Jack, the grin on his face slowly fading.

"Well, that makes two of us," said the Doctor with a shrug. Rose then started to walk away, turning around when she was ten feet away from them saying,

"I'll go for a walk, while you two talk." The Doctor frowned, his brows knitting together as he watched Rose walk farther and farther away from him. He opened his mouth to speak, but Jack spoke first,

"Stay with us, honey," Jack strode forward and grabbed Rose's wrist, "If there is someone following you and the Doc, it's best we stick together. Okay?" Rose blinked, and then smiled as she nodded. The Doctor breathed a sigh of relief as he strode towards where Jack and Rose stood.

"Just walk a bit ahead of us, Rosie," said Jack with a wink, "But don't loose sight of us. You have to see us and we have to see you, alright?" Rose rolled her eyes as she started forward, saying,

"Yes, mum!" Jack winked at her again as Rose skipped slightly ahead of them, turning around every once and awhile to grin at the two men.

Jack and the Doctor followed her at a snail's pace, both men were silent for quite sometime before Jack sighed, running his fingers through his dark hair.

"So, Doc, what I wanted to ask you was—"

"—Why you cannot die?" interrupted the Doctor coolly, turning to look at the former Time Agent. Jack's eyebrows shot up when the Doctor finished his question for him. Jack gave an uneasy smile as he gave a nod.

"Yeah…" he said softly, "That's my _first_ major question, but—" The Doctor held up a hand to silence Jack. He frowned when the Doctor stopped him; the Doctor shoved his hands into his trench coat pockets.

"One question at a time here, Jack. I knew you were going to ask me about that. So, here is the best explanation I can come up with. You're immortal."

Jack rolled his eyes; yeah that was an obvious fact!

"Yeah, I think I figured that one out after dying three or four times before coming back to life! Not to mention living since 1826 and not aging or anything!" The Doctor's eyebrows shot up when Jack mentioned living since 1826.

"Let me see your watch," he said simply, Jack frowned as he unstrapped the broken watch from his wrist before handing it over to the Doctor.

"It's broken, Doc. Don't know what you are going to find. A blaster shot screwed its vortex manipulator and sent me back to 1826." The Doctor reached into the breast pocket of his coat and pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver. The sonic buzzed as he ran it over the watch front and back before giving himself a small smile.

"Yep, it's broken. So you were sent back to 1826?" he asked, handing Jack back the watch. Jack nodded as he strapped the watch back onto his wrist.

"Yeah, don't know why it sent me there but it just did." The Doctor's eyes flickered forward, landing on Rose who was simply taking in the view. He calculated how fast he could get to her if something happened.

"So, when did you figure out that you could not die?" Jack sighed as he fiddled with the broken dials of his Time Agent watch. To be honest, it did take him several, different deaths to convince him, but he was pretty confused when he awoke on Satellite 5.

"Not sure. Took me a few times after dying and waking back up to comprehend what in the hell was going on. Yet, I was pretty sure something strange happened back on Satellite 5," Jack gave an uneasy chuckle as he looked up towards London's gray skies, birds flying overhead, "The last thing that I can clearly remember was that I was the last man standing…"

The Doctor lowered his head, a good group of people died that day trying to save their planet, no the universe, from the clutches of the Daleks. Jack looked down at his hands. He could still feel the guns in his hands, firing bullet after bullet at the Daleks chasing after him. When the bullets ran out, he stood there at the dead end facing death head on. Sarcasm had been his final words before the Daleks shot him.

"I'm sorry," said the Doctor softly, looking down at his Converse trainers. Jack gave a soft smile as he clapped a hand on the Doctor's back.

"Hey, I knew what I was facing, Doc. Anyway, I was up against numerous Daleks and all out of bullets. Finally, those stupid bastards shot me…the beam hit me and then...nothing. The next part is the strange and confusing part, I wake up, gasping on the floor, alive again."

"I know," said the Doctor smoothly, looking at Jack, "I've known all along, I just thought I'd let you get it out of your system." Jack's eyebrows shot up in surprise. A part of him was and was not surprised the Doctor knew what had happened. He was a Time Lord after all.

"You knew? _How_?" asked Jack his eyes narrowing as he waited for the Doctor to explain.

"The instant you came back. The power used to revive you was the power of the Time Vortex of my TARDIS, I felt it in an instant." The Doctor snapped his fingers, making Jack jump slightly.

"I wondered if you knew what the hell all this was! So what is this? Why is this happening to me?" Jack's voice grew in volume and angry in tone. Rose turned around from her walk, to look at the two men. A dark eyebrow rose in a silent question as Rose's eyes flickered between the Doctor and Jack. The Doctor held up a hand to tell Rose it was okay. Rose hesitantly looked at them for another moment before continuing on.

"Of course I knew, Jack, I'm a Time Lord. You did die the Daleks killed you. Then you were brought back to life by the power of the Time Vortex of my TARDIS. When you were brought back to life, you became a fixed point in time. As a Time Lord I can sense things in Time, differences in the proper timeline that are not supposed to be there. No one, and I mean, _no one_, can become a fixed point in time, yet you are. Therefore to me, no offence, you just don't feel right." Jack sighed loudly as he rubbed the back of his neck. So, he _had_ died, there was no question there. Yet the Doctor's explanation seemed to raise more questions than answers.

"So _I_ am a fixed point in time?" The Doctor nodded.

"Yes, when you were brought back by the Time Vortex, you, Captain Jack Harkness, became a point in time that can now be traced. I knew you came back to life and I knew you were capable of taking care of yourself, so I left you on Satellite 5. Besides...I had other things to worry about..." The Doctor looked away from Jack, his light brown eyes landing on Rose.

"I was wondering why you left me there!" groaned Jack, sounding indignant despite his wide smile as he punched the Doctor's arm playfully, "Ah, no hard feelings though!"

"Really?" asked the Doctor, an eyebrow rising in skepticism as Jack's smile widened. Jack merely shrugged.

"I had my watch, and you were right, I can take care of myself. So…I understand the how, but why can't I die? Will I continue to age or will I stay the way I currently am? Handsome, suave, dashing?" The Doctor snorted at Jack's final statement. The Doctor shook his head; he really did not know what would happen to Jack physically. The only thing he knew was that Rose used the power of the Time Vortex to bring Jack back to life, thus giving him his immortality.

"I can't answer that Jack. I really don't know what will happen to you. Something like this has never happened before. No one has been brought back to life by the power of the Time Vortex, so…I have no clue. Sorry." Jack sighed as he nodded his head, understanding that he wouldn't know what would happen to him until it did.

"Okay, Doc. I now understand the how all this happened. But now, why? _Why_ did this happen to me? Hell, what _happened _on Satellite 5? How in the world did _you_ defeat the Daleks? I know the basics about Time Lords, but what in the _hell_ happened to you?" Jack was taken aback by the dark look in the Doctor's eyes. They became darker in color, pain and fear flashing across their depths with palpable anger radiating from his very soul.

"All of that has one simple answer, Jack," said the Doctor, softly, his voice filled with numerous emotions. The Doctor then looked ahead, the anger fading to be replaced with momentary warmth and love. Jack followed the Doctor's gaze; it landed on the blonde girl in front of them, "_Rose_." Rose rushed forward with a laugh as she spooked a large flock of pigeons.

Jack's jaw dropped at the Doctor's revelation. _Rose_. Their sweet, innocent, caring Rose brought Jack back to life? Defeated the Daleks? And somehow made the Doctor change his very physical form? How—when—could she do all of that? The Doctor's soft chuckle at Jack's shocked face brought him back to reality. Jack slowly turned to look at the Doctor, the shock still written all over his handsome face.

"_Rose_? Our Rosie did all this?" He gestured to himself then the Doctor then to the peaceful planet that they stood on, "_How_?" The warmth in the Doctor's eyes faded to be replaced by darker emotions as he looked at Rose, a sad look about his continence.

"When I sent her back to her own time, I used Emergency Protocol 1, meaning that my life was soon to end and that the TARDIS was to take my companion home with instructions to lock up the TARDIS and leave her to decay." Jack knew the Doctor had sent Rose home for her own safety. It surprised him that Rose had managed to get back. The girl sure was stubborn, but he knew she was ready and willing to fight to the death along side them.

"You shouldn't have done that. I told you so, Rose wanted to help—" The Doctor whirled around to face Jack, stopping the two men in their tracks. The Doctor's eyes were blazing with pain and anger. The amount of pain coming off his eyes made Jack take an unconscious step back.

"I would _not_ see her die!" he growled, Jack winced when he saw the level of pain increase in the Doctor's eyes. "I promised her mum that I would look after her—protect her. That was what I was doing by sending her home, _protecting_ her! You know very well that we nearly lost her that day! For a few agonizing hours, I believed her dead! I would not let that come to pass again!"

"I know…" whispered Jack, he looked towards Rose who was talking to an old woman and her granddaughter walking their puppy. Rose was down on her knees, petting the very energized puppy who was up on its hind legs, its fore legs resting on Rose's knees as the puppy licked her. Rose was laughing as she scratched the dog's ears lovingly. He squeezed his eyes shut as that terrible memory passed over his eyes.

_Bursting into the game with the Doc and Lynda, his homemade gun in his hands, ready to fight off whoever or whatever would stand between them and Rose. Upon seeing them, Rose's eyes lit up with momentary happiness. Yet they quickly changed to panic and fear as she rushed forward, screaming for them to get back. Her eyes were locked upon the Doctor who had rushed forward ahead of them all, reaching out for her. She was screaming with terror to watch out for the Anne Droid. She was mere feet from the Doctor when the Anne Droid disintegrated Rose with a single shot from its mouth. _

_With a scream, Rose vanished—Into nothing but dust. _

_Jack remembered the anger that flooded him as he rushed past the Doc, screaming, pointing his gun in the faces of those who had refused to help Rose. He kept screaming that he would kill them for they killed Rose. 'You killed her! She's dead because of you!' he shouted, pure rage ripping through his heart. An innocent girl, with no way to defend herself, all because of a stupid game show! It was made worse by the look of absolute hopelessness and pain in the Doctor's then blue eyes as his fists clenched at the dust thought to be the remains of Rose…_

"—I would not let her see _me_ die!" interrupted the Doctor's sharp voice, breaking Jack away from his horrible memory. Yet, even then, the current Doctor's eyes still held that same pain that Jack just recalled, all too clear, all too real this time, "To see the universe as she knew it whether it was the past, present or the future, die along with everyone in that game station!" Jack fell silent as he took in the Doctor's words. Even if the Doctor had sent Rose back to the 21st century, how did she get back?

"So…what happened, _how_ did she get back?" asked Jack softly, trying to calm down the temperate emotions still swirling in his friend's eyes. The Doctor ran both his hands through his hair, when he pulled his hands away; his hair was ten times messier than before. Jack had to stifle a laugh. His smile vanished upon seeing the bleak look in the Doctor's eyes as he watched Rose thank the grandmother and granddaughter giving the puppy one more scratch before standing up.

"She broke open the TARDIS and looked into its heart." Jack blinked, stunned at the Doctor's words. The Doctor had explained that such a thing had never happened before, no one looked into a TARDIS's heart.

"_What?_" screamed Jack, several people looked up at his shout including Rose. The Doctor held a finger to his lips to tell Jack to quiet down. He then looked at Rose, giving her a bright smile and a wave to say, 'It's okay'. With a smile, Rose continued forward. He then turned back to a pale, shocked Jack, "H—How could she? The TARDIS is a hard nut to crack! Hell, even I had a hard time fixin' her up. Rose, she—she is just a human! You said that no one had ever looked into a TARDIS's heart before!"

The Doctor gave a small nod, "_Never_. Never had a TARDIS's heart been opened and looked into, especially _intentionally_. Rose, Mickey, and her mum pried open the TARDIS and reached her heart…" Jack looked down at his feet before looking at Rose again. He could just imagine the agony that Rose went through to open the TARDIS to her heart. He could see her pale face, streaked with tears, her make-up smeared as she led the charge to save the Doctor and the future…

"She…wow…Oh my God…" whispered Jack softly as he gripped his dark hair. They're little Rose doing the unthinkable, the impossible, because she _had_ to, _no_, because she _needed_ to. If those very actions did not speak at length about her character, Jack didn't know what else could. Jack regained his composure and gestured for the Doctor to continue.

"Rose looked into the heart of the TARDIS and took the Time Vortex into her body…" The Doctor faltered slightly, pain and fear rising up into his voice. Despite the fact that these events took place so long ago, their ramifications were still being felt and seen. With a sigh, he continued, "She used that power to bring the TARDIS back to Satellite 5—She—she came back. She—Rassilon—" The Doctor swore softly, turning away from Jack running his fingers through his hair again. Jack was starting to wonder if that was a habit for him now. The Doctor bit his lip as he slowly turned around to face Jack again.

He shut his eyes; he could see her…

_Standing in the doorway of the TARDIS, her eyes and body flaring white gold with power. Her voice strong and powerful as with a swipe of her hand the Daleks vanished into nothing but dust!_

Gone, gone, forever!

"Rose used the raw power of the Time Vortex to destroy all the Daleks even the emperor. With a single thought, a single gesture, they just…" The Doctor gave a slight wave of his hand and opened his eyes, the dark orbs glowing with awe, "…Vanished forever."

Jack's jaw dropped again as he tried to work his mind around this new piece of information. His dark eyes landed on Rose's happy face as she had just then spun around, walking backwards, watching them. To think that those merry brown eyes could be filled with such hate as he had seen in the Doctor's…hate enough to kill…

"God…our little Rose, a killer…" whispered Jack, more to himself than to the Doctor. What surprised Jack the most was that the Doctor did not even react to his words like he expected him to. He expected a death glare to be sent his way, yet none came. Instead the Doctor looked at Jack. Jack's heart did a flip-flop in his chest; the Doctor's eyes had gone black with numerous emotions though his voice spoke in a calm monotone.

"She ended the Time Wars…Rose, used the power of Time and Space to end the Time Wars once and for all…She called herself 'the Bad Wolf'…" Jack's eyebrows rose as his eyes flickered again at Rose. She had mentioned that the word, 'Bad Wolf' had been following them through Time and Space. She had asked the Doctor if it meant something to which he merely laughed off. Jack was starting to wonder if he laughed it off because he knew it was following them, he just did not understand the meaning at the time. Well, now they knew.

"'Bad Wolf?' You mean those words had a meaning?" Jack asked softly as he nodded towards Rose. An eyebrow then shot up as he played the words 'Bad Wolf' around in his head. Had a menacing tone to it honestly. He did admit the words 'Bad Wolf' fit Rose to a T though.

"Rose put them throughout space and time as a message to herself." Jack gave a soft, 'Ahh' as he shoved his hands into his pockets. No wonder the words followed them around all that time. Rose was trying to send herself a blaring sign of the foreboding future coming their way. "After she stopped the Time Wars and killed the Daleks, she brought you back to life."

Jack gave a soft smile and a chuckle as he looked down at his shoes. He then kicked a small rock further up the path, his eyes landing on Rose's back. So, she had brought him back to life, huh? So the Time Vortex, the 'Bad Wolf,' hell whatever it was made Rose into some form of goddess. And she chose to bring him back to life. That was both sexy and disturbing all at the same time.

"Well, I'm glad she liked me well enough to bring me back!" chuckled Jack, a toothy grin appearing on his roguish face. He promptly dropped it upon receiving the long awaited death glare from the Doctor. Jack held up his hands in apology saying quickly, "Sorry! Sorry! I don't mean to make light of a life or death situation for both her and myself! It makes sense, when I awoke I heard a voice in my head, a woman's voice that said, 'I bring life'. Now that I think about it—it did sound like Rose because it _was_ Rose."

The two men then fell silent for a few moments, Jack still trying to comprehend all the mind numbing and mind boggling information that was thrown at him in thirty minutes flat! Giving himself a small shake, Jack decided to move on. The Doctor was still watching Rose; his eyes now back to their light brown shade.

"So, um…" Jack nervously then gestured up and down at the Doctor's new form, "What in the hell happened to you?" The Doctor gave a small smile at Jack's choice of words. Never one to beat about the bush, Jack always got straight to the point.

"My people have a trick, a very special trick in our DNA. Whenever we are close to death, as long as both of a Time Lord's hearts are not destroyed in some manner. Our cells break down as they do when one dies. Every chromosome, every strand of DNA is ripped completely apart from the inside out. Chemical and structural changes are implemented which forms new DNA strands and then slammed back together. Everything about our physical form is completely changed. It's a pretty painful process."

"I imagine," said Jack, giving a slight shiver as he tried to imagine his very DNA ripping apart, changing itself and coming back together again, "It's painful when I come back to life so…Man, I can hardly imagine what you go through. If I remember my Time Agent training we were taught myths and known facts about Time Lords, just in case we ran into one. This…thing, process, whatever it's called…" Jack snapped his fingers several times to get himself to remember then he said with a grin, "It's called regeneration! Yeah, that's it!"

"Yep," said the Doctor, nodding when Jack came upon the right answer, "The reason I regenerated was because…"

"You were dying," said Jack softly. From his Time Agent training he knew the only time a Time Lord regenerated was when either the Time Lord had been killed in some manner or when the life cycle of that regeneration was done. Most of the time, the latter was not the case and it clearly was not here. The Doctor nodded grimly at Jack's statement.

"When Rose took in the Time Vortex into her body, it started to burn her."

"_Burn her_?" shouted Jack, he stopped where he was, forcing the Doctor to stop as well. Jack's eyes darted between the Doctor and Rose. His mind began to panic, what did 'burn' mean? Was Rose alright? Were there any side effects? Without thinking, Jack rushed forward towards Rose, ready to check for any signs that this 'burning' had not harmed her.

The former Time Agent was so engrossed on getting to Rose that it was until he felt himself being pulled back, he did not realize that the Doctor had stopped him from going after Rose. With a tight, near painful grip on Jack's upper arm, the Doctor pulled Jack back to his side with tremendous force.

"What are you—? Is Rose alright? Were there any side effects? Doc, what—?"

"Rose is fine, Jack," snapped the Doctor, cutting Jack off, "If you'd just let me continue on you'd learn everything you need to know!" With that, Jack clenched his jaw shut as he allowed the Doctor to continue explaining. Though his eyes did stray to Rose once or twice.

"Rose is fine, Jack. Perfectly healthy." The Doctor lingered for a moment on that thought. Rose was changing, both mentally and physically according to the scan he took this morning. Yet Rose was showing no signs of ill mental or physical health, so…He let the question linger in his mind as he continued,

"At the time though, Rose was burning mentally and physically from the inside out. No one, not even a Time Lord, can handle the power of the Time Vortex. It's too much raw energy, too much power for any one being to possess without burning. Especially a human body, a human body can only stand that much raw power for only minutes. If the power had stayed inside her for a few seconds longer…she would have died…"

"What a price to pay!" spat Jack, "For saving our necks and the entire human race, no, the entire universe!" Why was it always death that was the price to be paid for saving the universe?

"I took the power of the Time Vortex from her—" The memory of those few tense minutes flashed over his eyes…

_The agonizing, painful look in her temporary gold eyes as she whispered, 'My head…it's killin' me…' With only seconds to think and act, he pulled her to him. He remembered slamming his lips against hers in a desperate act to draw the Time Vortex out of her. _Draw it out until there was nothing left…or so he thought…

"—And put the power back inside my TARDIS. I only had minutes to get Rose and myself out of there in the TARDIS. By the time Rose awoke I was starting to die…and…well, here we are!" The Doctor gestured to everything around them, a grin upon his face for the first time in nearly thirty minutes.

"Poor Rose!" sniggered Jack. He could just imagine the look on Rose's face as the Doctor regenerated and changed forms right in front of her very eyes. He'd bet the Doctor had to do a lot of fast talking in order to get her to believe it was still him, the old Doctor, just a different face, "I'll bet you had some explaining to do!"

The Doctor chuckled, running his fingers through his hair. The uneasy, terrified, angry look on Rose's pale face still streaked with tears, demanding that he give her back her old Doctor. Yeah, it took quite a bit of convincing but in the end, Rose knew it was him.

"It took quite a bit of convincing on my part," said the Doctor softly. He bit his lip when he looked up at Rose, Jack's words had side effects echoing in his head. The words were bursting to come forth and oddly enough, they did.

"Do you remember I told you Rose was 'fine' after what happened?" Jack blinked in surprise as he nodded, "I kinda lied. There were—are side effects from the 'Bad Wolf'." Jack's eyes widened in shock then narrowed into an angry look.

"_WHAT_? You—you said she was _fine_! And now you're telling me there are side effects? What kind of side effects? When did this happen? Is Rosie alright or—" Jack started to ramble loudly and the Doctor had to clap a hand over Jack's mouth to silence him.

"Keep your voice down! I still need to run more tests before I tell Rose!" Jack rolled his eyes before narrowing them again in anger.

"You _have_ to tell her!" Jack snapped, pointing an accusing finger in the Doctor's face. The Doctor rolled his eyes as he turned away from Jack, his jaw clenched in frustration and anger.

"I will! I just need to—Arrggh!" The Doctor ran his fingers through his hair again as he face Jack. _Between the hair and the eyes_, Jack thought, _he looks like a madman!_ "Look. About three months ago, something strange happened to Rose. We were visiting a foreign planet and an old friend of mine. This old friend had managed to save some Gallifreyan books and he gave them to me as a present. I let Rose look at these books thinking they were harmless. While Rose was looking at one of the books, her very demeanor changed. Her eyes glowed gold as they did when she took in the Time Vortex. She spoke Gallifreyan, Jack! _Spoke it_! Clearly, perfectly! _Perfect _Gallifreyan! With no prior knowledge whatsoever!"

"She what?" asked Jack softly, his dark eyes widening in disbelief at the Doctor's words, "No one but you knows that language, how could she—?"

"My thoughts exactly! So I looked into her mind—" Jack pulled a face, "—In her mind, the 'Bad Wolf' appeared. According to the 'Bad Wolf', she—it—was Rose's own powers manifesting. That Rose's powers, would manifest slowly over time. Yet I've seen all these changes in about three months time! Yet, I have to conclude that this transformation started a long time ago! How did I miss—?"

"What does all that mean?" asked Jack, his eyes resting on Rose. Rose now had her own powers? What did that mean for her? Would she remain the same or change? Jack asked his questions to the Doctor. The Doctor shrugged, he really did not have the answers. Jack's frown deepened at the Doctor's shrug.

"I don't know, I really don't know Jack, that's what frightens me the most," The Doctor rubbed his face with his hands, trying to comprehend everything that was happening to his companion, "Just today I examined her genotype, her very DNA structure. I compared her current DNA sample to the one I took from her when she first arrived on the TARDIS. What I found—Rassilon—I found that her current genotype had changed, that means her very chromosomes, her DNA, is changing! It's not like it was before the game station—It's_ mutating_!"

"_Shit…_" cursed Jack, running a hand over his mouth then through his hair, his pallor dropping slightly. The Doctor reached a shaky hand into his trench coat pocket and pulled out the scanner he had used earlier in the day. Switching it on, he handed it to Jack. Reading the data, Jack let out a stream of mumbled curse words.

"See? Her DNA is mutating into a half human, half Time Lord structure! Only Time Lords have a triple helix in their DNA structures. Without any further tests, I cannot tell if her body is changing internally. Externally, I see no changes. Not only is her DNA mutating, her mentality is changing!" Jack's eyebrows rose further up his forehead. What else was going on with Rose?

"Three months ago, Rose spoke Gallifreyan while under the 'Bad Wolf's' influence, but more recently she has began to understand Gallifreyan without the help of the TARDIS! The TARDIS and I are the only ones who can speak Gallifreyan! The TARDIS does not, _does not_, translate our home language for our companions! Rose has also gained a Time Lord's rapid healing!"

The Doctor had stopped and started to pace from one side of the path to the other. A maddening look about his face as he kept running a hand through his hair, making it wilder and wilder with each passing second. Jack stood there, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes were dark as he watched the Doctor pace.

"Easy, Doc, easy," said Jack coolly, "One thing at a time now."

"Three months ago, someone broke her wrist. I fixed most of the damage but left the most difficult of the healing up to her body. It was impossible, incredible—within a week the breaks had healed. Humans do not heal that fast! Only Time Lords can heal that quickly! Jack, I am at wits end and that is not something that happens often to me!"

"Really?" asked Jack with a snort. The Doctor rounded on him, his hair now a frazzled mess that made the Doctor's formerly 'tamed' hair seem normal in comparison.

"YES! What is more maddening is that I don't know how to stop it!"

"Maybe it can't be stopped, Doc. It's too far gone from what I've seen on this scanner—" Jack held up the scanner, which the Doctor swiped from him, shoving it back into his trench coat pocket, "And from what you've told me. You can't stop it. Rose is—"

"I know, I know! It's too late now! But—but how do I help her if something goes wrong? Rassilon! I don't even know what all this means! Mutating DNA! Understanding and speaking an ancient alien language! Healing at an inhuman pace! What is she becoming?" The Doctor then slumped onto a nearby bench, his face in his hands. Jack placed a hand onto the Doctor's shoulder in comfort. The Doctor pulled his hands away from his eyes and clasped them at his mouth, his brow furrowed with numerous questions.

"Into _what_?" asked Jack, his voice a mere whisper as fear flashed over his dark eyes. Then…a strange thought entered Jack's head. Jack shook his head as his answer floated about his mind. Maybe Rose was becoming…Nah! That was too unlikely, sounded like something out of a science fiction novel. The former Time Agent then bit his lip as he looked at the Doctor, his friend's light brown eyes expressing so much fear and pain that it made Jack shiver. Well…when it came to the Doctor…anything could happen…

"I don't know what is happening to her, Jack. That is what scares me the most! I don't want to lose her. I could have lost her so many times before—but, now—If I did loose her, I don't know how I could bear that!" He could see her, his Rose, dying in a haze of gold light. Something then suddenly passed over his mind, causing his head to ache; forewarning of the future—Rose's future. It passed so quickly that he couldn't even remember it. Only that it caused his hearts to pound in fear.

"I think I'd go mad if I lost her…" Jack's eyes went soft as a touch of a smile graced his lips. He could see it in the Doctor's eyes; he really, truly, loved Rose.

"You really love her…don't you?" asked Jack softly; the Doctor turned his head to look at Rose. She was now leaning against a nearby tree, her eyes looking upward for a brief moment before looking towards the Doctor and Jack. She made a motion for Jack and the Doctor to join her. The Doctor did not speak; he merely nodded his head in answer to Jack's question. The smile on Jack's face lit up to a megawatt smile as Jack let out a loud cry of:

"HA!" He then clapped his hands and spun around before rushing the Doctor, "I knew it! I knew it! Come here you!" Jack then grabbed the Doctor, wrapping an arm around his shoulders while he ruffled the Doctor's hair. The Doctor struggled to free himself from Jack's tight grasp, but eventually relented and waited until Jack released him.

"Maybe you don't need to worry," said Jack with a shrug as the Doctor smoothed out his hair, "If the 'Bad Wolf' or whatever it was said that all this was foretold, then…maybe…just maybe, the universe is correcting itself."

"How, Jack?" Jack gave the Doctor a grin as his own logic danced over his head. Hell, it was a long shot, but in his experiences there were no coincidences in the universe. Things happened for a reason, one way or another.

"Rose's DNA is changing from a human to something else…Maybe, she's becoming like you…So that you won't be alone anymore." The Doctor gave him a quizzical look, not understanding what he was implying. Jack rolled his eyes as he gave the Doctor one of his roguish grins, "A Time Lady to your Time Lord?" He then gave the Doctor a playful punch as his grin widened. The Doctor's brow furrowed, his gaze becoming hard.

"Impossible."

"You never know…" replied Jack with another shrug, elbowing the Doctor again. After a moment of silence the Doctor spoke again, looking at Jack this time.

"You have to tell her Jack, about your immortality. She needs to know." Jack sighed as he gave the Doctor a brief nod. As much as he did not want to tell Rose she was the reason why he could never die, he knew it needed to be done.

"I will. I will, Doc. I promise. Just…give me time."

The Doctor then froze in mid-step, Jack turned around to face him, the smile dropping from his face. It was then Jack felt a shudder run down his body, someone was watching them. The Doctor slowly pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver. Jack took that to mean take out his gun. Rose was still ahead of them, oblivious to what was going on.

"Rose, come here!" commanded the Doctor, Rose's smile faded away when she noticed the two men holding their respective weapons. It was then Rose felt the feeling come over her again for the third time today! Looking quickly over her shoulder she ran to the Doctor. He offered his spare hand to her, which she eagerly took.

"So, who's hiding in the dark?" asked Jack softly as he wrapped his finger around the trigger. He could sense numerous people watching them, it was a sensation he knew all too well from his Time Agent training.

"They're after Rose," whispered the Doctor, his gaze flickering to Rose for a moment. Rose's head snapped up to look at the Doctor, her chocolate brown eyes growing wider by the second as she hissed,

"What?" The Doctor tightened his grip on Rose's hand as he gave her a gentle tug. The group turned around heading back from whence they came from. Rose was beginning to shake as she numbly felt Jack take her other hand.

"Don't worry. We'll protect you, Rosie," said Jack softly, sending Rose a cheeky wink. Rose was too shell shocked to even noticed the comforting gesture. Jack frowned; this had to be really serious for Rose not to react to his antics.

"Let's just get her back to the TARDIS," said the Doctor softly, picking up the pace as the eyes bearing into them felt more and more hostile with each step. Jack looked out of the corner of his eye to see someone or something move in the shadows.

"Then what?" hissed Jack as he tilted his gun just slightly so he could easily turn and fire if need be. The Doctor did not want to say anything out loud; afraid they'd be overheard. He merely needed to get Rose safely inside the TARDIS before he came up with a further plan. With Rose safe in the TARDIS, no one could get to her without a key, not even if they attached bombs to the door. Yet even as they walked faster and faster into a near jog, his mind raced.

"We need to get her out of here," said the Doctor simply as he pulled on Rose's hand. Her gaze was still numb with shock, yet her face was steeled, ready for anything.

"We've got company!" growled Jack as he looked over his shoulder to see the shadow figures step into the light. Rose whirled around to see who was after her and gasped. Humanoid figures with brightly colored eyes, skin tones and highlights.

"Andorrans? What?" Rose mumbled, unable to understand what was going on. She turned away as her mind raced. Did something go wrong with Ion and the rebels that led them to the Doctor and herself? Yet the Doctor said they were after her, not him, nor the both of them. But what had she done…?

"Friends of yours?" asked Jack as he saw the Andorrans raise their guns at them. Rose shook her head as a warning blast was fired, "Guess not!"

"RUN! ROSE! RUN!" The Doctor clamped down hard on Rose's hand as they bolted forward. Jack whirled around and began to open fire. At first the former Time Agent fired a few warning shots at the oncoming Andorrans, but quickly realized that these guys were not playing around. So, Jack began to take out Andorrans as they got closer, no one was going to get past him!

After realizing that nothing was going to stop the on-coming tide, Jack thought better of it and took off after the Doctor and Rose. The Doctor yanked Rose around the corner as they could see the TARDIS in the shadows. The Doctor pulled his key from his pocket, letting go of Rose's hand and sprinted the few remaining yards to reach the TARDIS first. Jamming the key into the lock, with a quick turn, he opened the door. Rose had reached him just in time so that with a sharp tug and push, the Doctor literally shoved her inside the blue box.

"Wait for me!" screamed Jack as he pelted down the alleyway, blaster shots fired off at him, hitting the wall just to the side of him. Jack turned around and took one more shot. The Doctor gestured for Jack to move faster and within a matter of seconds; Jack dove into the TARDIS, landing hard on the metal grates. The Doctor slammed and locked the door behind Jack, ensuring no one could follow with a quick buzz of the Sonic.

Without a backwards glance, the Doctor darted up the ramp to the console. With a flick of several levers and buttons, he began to move the TARDIS away from their present location. Jack scrambled to his feet, breathing hard. The TARDIS jerked to the left as she dematerialized, causing Jack to quickly regain his balance. His eyes strayed to Rose who was sitting in the jump seat leaning over, clutching her head, breathing hard. The TARDIS's rotor began to whirl, casting an eerie glow over the Doctor's hardened face.

"Why—why are they after Rose, Doc?" huffed Jack as he finally regained his breath. Rose lifted her head out of her hands as she looked towards the Doctor for the answer. His brows furrowed, his eyes darting towards Rose then to Jack. He did not want to worry Rose about all this; he just wanted to focus on keeping her safe.

"I don't know," said the Doctor quickly as he pulled down another lever, making his injured shoulder twinge badly. Jack's eyes narrowed as he watched the Doctor, he was lying. He knew exactly why these aliens were after Rose, he just wasn't telling.

Rose felt herself begin to panic as she followed the Doctor's every move. Something was not right, that much she knew. Why were they after her? She had done nothing but tell Howell to back off! She began to hyperventilate as she felt her world spin for several seconds. Resting her forehead on her knees, she tried to focus on her breathing. Yet the more and more she tried to breathe easy, the more and more harder it became. She clutched at her chest, her lungs felt as if they were being pressed on by a ton of rocks while her heart pounded so violently it felt as if it was working double time.

"I've set the TARDIS to materialize in several locations around the world, linger for a moment then dematerialize to the next location. It's all on autopilot Jack, so don't even think about it!" snapped the Doctor as Jack opened his mouth to protest.

"Running away is not the answer!" The Doctor glared up at Jack over the console, the turquoise light from the rotor lighting his face in an eerie look.

"We're not running away, Jack. We're merely confusing them. If they are tracking the TARDIS, then landing her in numerous locations at a constant rate will hopefully screw up their tracking systems. Making it even more difficult to find us!" Jack wondered how on earth the Doctor had come to that conclusion as he fell silent for a moment as he muddled through the Doctor's logic.

"So, what are we going to do when we land? Better yet, where are we going to land?" asked Jack as he leaned against the console. The Doctor gave Jack a grin as the rotor screeched and a soft thump told them they landed.

"London. Then if need be, through time." Jack rolled his eyes as he pushed away from the console and started towards the main hallway.

"We better be prepared to fight then," said Jack, making the Doctor frown, "If I remember correctly the last time I was here you had a small cash of weapons, unless you threw them out?" The Doctor's frown deepened which only made Jack smile as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Be back in a minute." Jack then disappeared down the hall, whistling as the rotor started up again.

"Doctor," whispered Rose in a fearful, soft voice, "Why are they after me?" The Doctor turned to face Rose, his eyes softening at first then widening in shock. Her eyes were large with fear, her face so pale that he was sure he could see the veins under her skin. Her lower lip was quivering with fear as tears bottled in her eyes.

"Please tell me! I can hardly breathe! I can hardly think! Why?" He quickly strode towards her and took her into his arms. Rose buried her face into his suit coat, clinging to him for dear life.

"I'm not entirely sure why, Rose," the Doctor lied softly, stroking her hair, "But I have a vague idea." Rose looked up at him with her large eyes as she doubled her grip on his suit coat. Her breathing was harsh and fast as she gasped,

"Then what? What is it?" The Doctor then took her face into his hands, making her look at him. He looked into her eyes, hoping what he would say next would calm her.

"Let's just focus on keeping you safe. That's all I'm concerned about. You." He then pressed a kiss against her forehead as he released her as footsteps came back down the hall. Jack had returned as the TARDIS landed once again. The Doctor raised an eyebrow at the former Time Agent who looped gracefully back into the console room. He did not seem to have any other weapons on him. Rose gave Jack a small smile as she asked,

"Found what you were looking for?" Jack merely shrugged as he walked up behind the Doctor and gave his injured shoulder a slap.

"That's for me to know, Rose. You just keep your seat." The Doctor winced as his injured shoulder throbbed painfully. Gripping at it, he knew he had to take care of it and maybe…

"Doc? You okay?" asked Jack, his dark eyes filled with concern. The Doctor blinked then looked at Rose who was watching him. Her own fears long forgotten as she reached a hesitant hand towards him. He quickly smiled as he realized he must have winced when Jack hit his injury.

"Fine, fine. I just need to collect a few things before the TARDIS makes her final landing back in London." Jack pulled an odd look as he and Rose watched the Doctor as he disappeared down the main hallway, deeper into the TARDIS. Jack and Rose were left alone in the console room, giving each other odd looks.

Within moments, the TARDIS's rotor stopped moving and with a slight bump, she landed for the third time. Jack sauntered over to the console and began to look at the main screen. Sticking his tongue in between his teeth, he swore when he could not understand the Gallifreyan on the screen. With a whirl, the rotor started up again causing the ship to jerk. Jack clung onto the handles on the console as Rose slid off the jump seat to stand beside him.

"What is it?" asked Rose, her fingers running over the screens, tapping at the on-screen buttons.

"I was just wondering how many times the TARDIS will materialize and dematerialize before we land back in London." Rose's eyes glazed over as her fingers tapped the on-screen buttons as she flicked through the screens. In a dim voice Rose responded,

"Only three more landings before we return to London." Jack's jaw dropped as Rose turned around and sat back down on the jump seat then blinked several times before her glazed vision cleared. Jack's mouth opened and closed several times as Rose looked back at him with an corked eyebrow

"What the hell…?" whispered Jack more to himself than to Rose. She had just read Gallifreyan, read it and had no clue what she just did. Jack shivered as he glared at the screen, trying to understand the weird symbols. The Doctor was right; Rose was changing, slowly into something that was not human. When he looked at her again, Rose was shaking as she rubbed her temples with her fingertips. She seemed to be in pain. Concerned, Jack let go of the console and walked towards Rose.

Rose groaned loudly as her head began to pound with violent warnings, images flashed over her mind. It happened so quickly that Rose nearly toppled off the jump seat. She felt Jack grab her arms and forced her back into a sitting position. Her vision spun before her eyes as Jack took her face into his hands shouting,

"Rose? Are you alright?" Rose could barely breathe, she was gasping for air. She pulled at her shirt as she gasped, her lungs burning for air.

"Jack, I can't—I can't breathe!" Rose pressed her fingers harder against her temples to clear her headache. Jack gently rubbed her shoulders in comfort as he soothed,

"Easy, Rose, you're just having a panic attack, breathe." Rose looked up at Jack, her eyes wide as visions flashed before her eyes. Warnings blared in her head that danger was coming. She had ignored the warnings and now it was happening. Her brow crinkled in confusion as a part of the vision that had once been hazy became clear_._

_Beside the Doctor, lying on the floor was Jack. His face was still as blood began to pool around him. Three bullet wounds were in his back. A leering shadow stood behind Jack, casting a dark shadow over his dead body, the gunman who had shot him. Her eyes darted towards the Doctor again as she could hear herself screaming for the gunman to stop, please stop! She'd do anything…Her eyes locked with the Doctor's as the gunshots sounded…_

"The Doctor…" Rose gripped Jack's coat blindly, "He's not safe…Jack's not safe…please…" Jack watched as Rose's eyes flashed gold momentarily before fading back to the their original color. Jack cupped Rose's face so she was forced to look at him, to see he was all right.

"We're fine, Rose. See? We're safe; we're in the TARDIS. I'm here, the Doc's here. There is nothing to worry about." Rose began to hyperventilate as her eyes cleared; she gripped at her chest as she whispered to Jack,

"Jack—I—I can't, my—I can't breathe! I feel as if my heart—my—my chest feels…funny…" Rose then slumped into a dead faint. Jack gently slapped Rose's face and called out to her. Without any response, Jack began to panic. He wondered if this had to do with the changes the Doctor spoke of earlier. He gently rested Rose against his chest as he scooped her up yelling down the hallway,

"DOC! Get in here now! Rose has—" Within a matter of seconds footsteps were heard pounding down the hallway. As Jack gently laid her on the ground, the Doctor appeared as he ran full speed back into the console room. His face was pale as he flipped the collar of his blue shirt down.

"Jack what is—" He then spotted Rose on the ground, Jack had tilted her chin upwards his cheek hovering over her mouth as he silently counted to himself, "Rose!" The Doctor rushed to Rose's side snatching up her wrist and feeling for a pulse.

"She's breathing too fast and her pulse is up," said Jack methodically, "She just had a panic attack, said she couldn't breathe." The pulse beat under the Doctor's fingers was fast and strong, a little too strong if you asked him. The Doctor moved towards Rose's head. He gently tilted Rose's head back to open her airway. Bending over her chest, he pressed an ear against her sternum. Her heartbeat could clearly be heard, yet he listened to her breathing. It was faster than her normal breaths per seconds should be, yet Rose had seemed to calm down.

Sitting up the Doctor frowned, it sounded as if…

"Did she say anything to you?" Jack gently smoothed out Rose's hair as he bit his lip, "Jack!"

"She—she read the readings on the console screen. You're right, she can—damn!" The Doctor's face paled, "Suddenly she started rambling about you and I being in danger. Her eyes turned gold, Doctor! Gold! But only for a second before she came back. She said she couldn't breathe. At first I thought it was a panic attack. But the way she clutched at her chest…" Jack demonstrated how Rose pulled at her shirt as if loosening it for more air. How she gripped her sides in pain.

"Why did she—?" The Doctor asked as he gently prodded Rose's ribs, trying to feel for breaks, yet there were no breaks or fractures, "Was she in pain?"

"She said her chest felt heavy, it felt funny…" The Doctor's head shot up as he stared at Jack for a moment before pressing his ear against Rose's chest again. This time he could hear it; her faster paced breathing had slowed to an easy rhythm, yet the amount of time between breaths was longer than normal human resting breaths. The Doctor sat up as he swore under his breath.

"What? What is it?" asked Jack as he took off his trench coat and lay it over Rose's inert form. The Doctor bit his lip hard; he would not need to run any more tests now, the proof was right in front of him.

"Her respiratory system is changing, watch," Jack watched as Rose inhale deeply and watched her exhale softly. It was a deep, resting breath, but the time in between inhaling and exhaling was much longer than normal. It almost seemed as if she was holding her breath. "She does not need as many breaths per second anymore. A Time Lord's respiratory bypass system allows air to circulate if need be, especially in dangerous situations like lack of air. Her lungs are changing, allowing for that circulation system to take place. It's starting to test itself, slowly. But she won't develop the full functions for awhile now."

Jack watched Rose breathe in and out. The breaths she took were deeper and longer than before. No wonder her chest felt heavy and different, her very physiology was changing. She needed to know. Sooner or later she was going to start questioning these changes in her own body.

"You have to tell her what the hell is going on." Jack murmured softly, his dark eyes locking onto the Doctor's. He looked away, avoiding Jack's gaze. "She'll start asking questions."

"I know Jack. It's just I—" A soft moan cut the Doctor off as he looked at Rose. Her brows knitted together as she raised a hand out from under Jack's trench coat to rub her eyes. Her brown eyes opened, clearing the instant she saw the Doctor.

"Doc—tor? What happened?" The Doctor took Rose's hand into his as he smiled down at her. Jack smiled too, glad to see Rose on the mend, but he knew the Doctor was going to lie to her. Again.

"You just had a panic attack. Don't worry Rose, Jack and I will protect you. Right, Jack?" The Doctor's eyes were dark as they glared at the former Time Agent. Jack sighed, he was being told not to tell Rose anything. Then again, it was not for him to say, it was the Doctor's TARDIS's Time Vortex that started these changes so…

"Yep, no worries," said Jack leaning over Rose, pressing a soft kiss against her lips. Rose smiled up at him, as she blushed, giggling. The Doctor frowned at Jack as the two helped Rose back onto her feet. All the while the TARDIS's rotor screeched loudly as she came to her final destination.

"Alright, here's the plan." The Doctor settled Rose back onto the jump seat, wrapping Jack's trench coat about her shoulders, "Hopefully our little trip around the world has confused them for a bit. So while they look around the world for you, Rose, you'll be safe with us here in London." Jack raised an eyebrow, why couldn't they stay in the TARDIS? One way or another they were going to track them right back to London.

"Why don't we just stay in here?" asked Jack with a shrug as he hopped up beside Rose on the jump seat, "They can't get at her in here. Or let's time travel, you said it yourself that they can't follow you through time." The Doctor snapped his fingers at the former Time Agent, and Jack got down from the seat with a roll of his eyes.

"The Andorrans are expecting us to stay within the confines of the TARDIS. As for traveling through time, it would just be part of the chase. If we vanish through the depths of time, they'll just wait for us to return. No, we need to make them give up. Time travel is a last resort, Jack. Now—"

Rose was happy that her headache was gone and that she could breathe easier now, but the uneasiness from her vision still remained. She noticed that the Doctor's previously top two buttons that were unbuttoned were now buttoned up. She made an odd face as she looked at it, then shrugged, forgetting about it.

"—Hopefully that will cause them to stop stalking Rose." The Doctor finished as he threw his trench coat back on. He then offered his hand to Rose to help her down from the jump seat. Though the plan seemed a little too physical to out run the Andorrans.

"And if they get wise…" Jack then pulled out numerous guns, which he had placed behind the console. He had strapped to his waist a gun belt with at least seven guns that Rose could count.

"Jack…" groaned the Doctor, shaking his head as Jack clasped a leg holster around his right leg into which he stuffed the last gun. Rose had to smile at the former Time Agent and his love for guns.

"What?" asked Jack as he checked his aim on one gun, "I am not facing armed—An—An—And—whatever those guys are without a little back up! Besides," Jack then strode over to where Rose stood beside the Doctor and pulled her into a tight hug, "No one threatens Rose and gets away with it!" Rose smiled up at Jack as she returned the hug. The Doctor sighed as he shook his head, deciding it was best to give up now than argue with the man.

The Doctor then took Rose's hand as he pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver. His eyes flashed with an eerie light as Rose swallowed loudly. The Doctor looked at her, his dark eyes taking in her face.

"Stay by my side at all times, okay?" He lifted up their clenched hands, turning her hand and pressing his lips briefly against her warm skin, "We are glued together. Where I go, you follow, got it?" Rose blushed slightly as she smiled before returning the Doctor's gesture by kissing his cheek.

"Always." Jack slapped the side of his main gun as he double-checked his gear as he moved towards the double doors saying gleefully,

"Alright-y then, since I'm the man with the guns, I'll go first."

_Note: Rose Tyler, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE! Jack, stock up on more guns! Doctor, get us the hell outta here! Sorry, life has me by the throat! But going to Gallifrey One has inspired me to write, so here ya go!_


	15. Chapter 15

Please Review! The faster the reviews are, the faster the post!

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it is owned by the lovely BBC!

_Note: Sorry, life has me by the throat! Enjoy._

**Chapter 14: A Little Chase About London**

Jack slowly poked his head out first only by mere inches, his eyes darting side to side. The alleyway where the blue police box landed seemed empty. With careful steps, Jack stepped out of the TARDIS, his gun held just in front of him, armed and ready to go. He looked to his immediate front, left, and right, no one was there. With quiet steps he moved around the TARDIS, he saw no one suspicious watching them.

As he came out in front of the blue box again, he saw the Doctor standing in the doorway, his Sonic Screwdriver firmly in his hand. Jack made a silent military signal for the Doctor to stay where he was as Jack moved towards the main street, his gun hidden behind him. He peered out, up, down, and all around the busy streets of London. Nope, no colorful shadow people here.

Jack then gestured for the Doctor and Rose to come out. The Doctor went first, Rose swiftly followed him; their hands locked together as Rose shut the TARDIS door behind her with a snap. Looped around her arm was Jack's coat; he'd better hide all those guns before the police saw him with such a large stash of weapons. The Doctor turned to look at Rose giving her a reassuring smile as he whispered,

"Keep close, Rose." Rose merely nodded as they reached Jack. Jack holstered his gun with a frown, expecting guns to be blazing at this point.

"So far, so good," muttered Jack. Rose pulled lightly on his sleeve to make him look at her. She offered him his jacket saying,

"Here. Best hide those guns or the Bobbies will have you handcuffed in seconds." Jack raised an eyebrow at first then slapped his forehead with his palm.

"Oh right! Thanks Rosie!" He had forgotten at this point and time that Britain had strict gun laws. Taking his long trench coat from Rose, he threw it over himself, buttoning up the four center buttons to ensure his stash of weapons was hidden.

"We better get moving," suggested the Doctor as he looked behind him at his TARDIS. The farther away they got from her unique signal, the better chance they had of loosing the Andorrans in the city. The three friends started down the narrow sidewalks, the Doctor and Rose in front of Jack.

The tension started to bleed away after the group walked at least five blocks away from the TARDIS. Upon seeing that everything was going so well, Rose smiled.

"Well, it seems your plan is working Doctor." Rose then swung their clenched hands in happiness. The Doctor gave her a soft smile that did not reach his eyes. They were not out of the woods yet.

"Don't let your guard down Rose," said Jack as he looked over his shoulder for any suspicious activity, his sharp eyes narrowing at any sudden movement. After running a quick sweep, Jack's eyes landed on Rose and the Doctor before him. The Doctor was keeping Rose near him. He was not going to let go of her hand and loose her. Jack was pretty sure he could run between them like the child's game 'Red Rover' and that he could not break the connection between the two.

"Will they attack in broad daylight? With all these people about?" asked Jack as he fingered one of the guns strapped to his hip. The Doctor turned to look at Jack, his eyes narrowing, he wasn't sure…but if _he_ was leading them then maybe…

"Not sure, but they could if they wanted to." Jack nodded, by now London was no stranger to aliens and strange events.

Rose wasn't sure how long they continued to walk around London, taking short cuts, long ways, going one way then doubling back. It made her dizzy just thinking about it! Yet as they moved about the city they came into a large port section of the London. By then the sun was shining at about mid-afternoon. The sun would set in about a few hours, what then…?

The Doctor looked down the numerous, narrow pathways along the deserted warehouses and storage units. Perfect. There were a million different places to hide and the type of metal used to build many of these warehouses could allow for echoes, telling them if someone was coming. Gripping Rose's hand tightly the Doctor strode forward.

"Doc, does scary, creepy, dark, abandoned warehouses not mean _anything_ to you? Doesn't that scream trouble around every corner?" asked Jack as he pulled a gun out of its holster. The Doctor merely shrugged but Rose turned to look at Jack, her eyes agreeing with him.

"He's right, Doctor." Rose agreed quietly, "The Andorrans could be anywhere." The Doctor looked down at Rose, seeing the fear and hesitation in her eyes.

"If they are here, we can hear them. The metal used to build these warehouses back in the seventies have good sound reverberation." Jack shrugged as he kept his gun by his side.

The group weaved in and out of the different warehouses and storage units; Rose felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She froze, stopping the Doctor and Jack in their tracks. Her head pounded with momentary pain and something passed over her eyes. She raised a hand to her temples as she tried to recall the image that just flashed over her mind.

"Rose, what is it?" asked the Doctor, resting his hands on her shoulders. Her brow knitted together as she focused harder and harder, but nothing came to mind.

Only a warning.

"They—they are coming…" Rose whispered she looked up at the Doctor, her eyes alive with fright. For a brief moment her eyes flared gold again, causing her to clutch at her head. The Doctor looped an arm around Rose's shoulders as he guided her forward saying to Jack,

"Keep moving."

As Jack came upon a narrowing pathway he held out a hand making the Doctor stop. Rose rubbed her temples as her head cleared, blinking tears out of her eyes. The Doctor gripped his sonic tightly as he took Rose's hand again. Jack's eyes narrowed as he saw movement just to his right. He turned around to look at the Doctor and mouthed,

"There's something here!" The Doctor's eyes narrowed and he pulled Rose in front of him, turning to point the sonic back down the direction they just came from. Yes, he could feel it; someone was here. Rose's eyes darted between the Doctor and Jack, yet her attention seemed to be drawn from the direction they just came from. There was a sudden movement and a flare of gunfire.

"LOOK OUT!" she screamed, pushing the Doctor against the wall, slamming him into the metal storage unit. Jack spun away just in time as blaster fire erupted to his right. Reaching for another gun, Jack snapped the safety off of both guns as he grinned.

"Let's rock and roll!" He jumped out from his hiding place and started to fire like a wild man, a large grin on his face. The instant the Doctor's back hit the metal wall did he use his free arm to shove Rose against the wall with him as he fired the sonic at the offending gun. Though it was several yards away the gun exploded in the man's hands causing him to howl in pain.

"RUN!" screamed Jack, looking back at his two friends. The three darted forward not knowing where they were going or where the enemy could be. Jack quickly picked off any enemy closing in on them with rapid speed. The Doctor shoved Rose ahead of him as he double checked to make sure no one was following them.

The amount of warehouses and storage sheds were like a winding maze of metal. Jack now understood why the Doctor had chosen to hide in this area, but it backfired slightly. The echoes of numerous footsteps made things confusing at times. The group had to freeze for a moment several times to listen to see if the echoes they heard were their own footsteps or the Andorrans.

The Doctor held a finger to his lips as he listened to the footsteps. They were coming from their left and coming on fast. The Doctor made a silent signal for them to move forward, Jack strayed behind just a bit, his guns aimed down the left alleyway.

Within seconds shots were fired and returned with rapid swiftness. Jack gave a grin as he took down two Andorrans as he chased after the Doctor and Rose as they came insight of a large seven-story warehouse. The Doctor grinned, hopefully, just hopefully if they barricade themselves inside and work their way to the roof, they could be able to move from rooftop to rooftop of several other nearby warehouses. Maybe they could get away…

"There! That warehouse! Go, Rose, go, run!" shouted the Doctor giving her a slight push forward. She stumbled and fell on the hard concrete; Jack whirled around at her cry, quickly rushing forward to provide cover fire. The Doctor pulled Rose to her feet whispering,

"Sorry." Rose gripped his hand tightly as she shook her head giving him a small grin.

"Clumsy me!" The Doctor grinned back at her, as they were meters away from the warehouse doors.

Running into the abandoned warehouse, the Doctor pulled on Rose's arm, forcing her to keep running until they were deep inside. Jack followed, firing rapidly at the approaching Andorrans. The Doctor cupped Rose's face to make her look him in the eye, saying,

"Stay here." Rose nodded as she watched him run towards the door. As soon as Jack made it through, he slammed the heavy metal doors shut. Jack dropped his empty guns as he shoved the large metal lock beam through all the slots on the door. Jack then started to lock the numerous locks on the door while the Doctor ran his sonic along the vertical crack on the door, some how welding it shut. Rose, in her usual fashion of not listening to the Doctor, in turn started to gather up heavy objects to block the door. With a nod the Doctor thought the door was secure, giving them more time to escape.

"Rose!" groaned the Doctor as he saw her throw about the fifteenth heavy metal chair in front of the door, "I _told_ you to stay put!" Rose groaned as she rubbed her dirty hands on her jeans snapping,

"If they're after me, I'm_ not_ goin' to stand by and watch! I'm going to do somethin' about it!" Jack sniggered as the Doctor grabbed Rose's hand and pulled her forward. Jack picked up his guns and snapped two new clips in saying,

"That's our Rose!"

When the group was up only two flights of stairs did the assault on the door start. The loud banging echoed up the empty staircase along with the pounding footsteps of the three friends. The Doctor was to the point of leaping and bounding up the stairs but had to compensate for Rose who was trying her best to keep up with him.

"So, what do we do when we reach the roof Doc?" shouted Jack as he bounded up the stairs two at a time. The Doctor groaned mentally, he hadn't gotten that far yet. He looked over his shoulder as Jack pointed his guns down the stairs as a loud crash echoed upward.

"Workin' on it!"

The amount of stairs just seemed to keep going on and on to Rose. Upon reaching the fourth floor, Rose tripped on the step, banging her knees into the concrete floor. She winced in pain, her jeans and knees were already torn up and bloody from her previous fall. This time it only made it worse.

"Damn it!" she swore under her breath as she gasped for air. The Doctor, upon feeling her hand slip from his, spun around to see her kneeling on the ground her hand clutching at her chest. His mind started to race, if Rose's respiratory system was changing, this type of running would not do her any good.

"Rose, you okay?" asked Jack who bolted up the stairs upon seeing the blonde trip, resting a hand on her shoulder. Rose did not answer; it was hard to answer when she could barely breathe. Squeezing her eyes shut she tried to force herself to stop her natural reaction of gasping for air. The Doctor knelt down before Rose and grasped the hand clawing at her chest.

An explosion was heard and the screaming of metal being pushed to its limit echoed up the staircase. Jack cocked his guns as he looked down at Rose and the Doctor.

"We've got to keep moving. They're going to break through any minute now!" Yet the Doctor did not care, Rose was in pain and needed his help. Rose, upon feeling his hand over hers looked up at him, her eyes pleading for help.

"Doctor—h-help me. I—I can't—" The Doctor's eyes darkened as he pried Rose's hand away from her chest and ran a quick scan with the sonic. The readings were just as he thought. Her physiology was changing at such a rapid pace her body was having a hard time adjusting to the changes. Causing her pain and lack of air.

"Easy, Rose, breathe, breathe," he said gently, cupping her face pulling her towards him. He rested his forehead against hers, her eyes closed as she winced in pain, her breathing slowing down just a bit, "Listen to my voice Rose. Breathe. Just breathe. Don't worry about anything else." Rose balanced herself by grabbing his upper arms. She focused on his voice and on her breathing, trying to shut out the louder and louder sounds of the Andorrans trying to break in.

What was happening to her? It felt as if she was having an asthma attack or some kind of respiratory shock. Her windpipe burned painfully as she tried to suck in the proper amount of breaths to no affect. Her lungs squeezed in and out painfully as she took in the small amounts of air, her oxygen starved lungs begging for more. It felt as if someone had reached into her chest and was trying to squeeze the very air out of her lungs.

"Doc—Doc—tor, wh—why is this—ha-happening to me?" she gasped out, her eyes opening to look at him. His eyes were dark with worry as he stroked her face. A large bang called him away from her as he looked at Jack. Jack had moved down a flight of stairs and was leaning over the railings to look down at the ground floor. Smoke was starting to come up and metal could be heard screaming and screeching from below.

"You better fix her or carry her Doctor," shouted Jack, his eyes resting briefly on Rose before looking at the Doctor. With a click he took the safety off his guns as he pointed them down the shaft, "They're a comin' Doc!"

The Doctor's eyes snapped down to Rose who was desperately clinging onto him, her brown eyes pleading for an answer. Her hand was now gripping her throat as her hungry lungs burned for more air. Her eyes were growing dark as black spots danced over her eyes. The Doctor knew he had to act now; he cupped her face and looked into her eyes.

"I can't explain right now, Rose. But I promise you I will when this is all over, alright?" Rose looked at him wearily, her breath still coming in sharply. He was afraid she'd soon faint from hyperventilation and lack of oxygen to the brain. "I promise you Rose. I _promise_, now _please_, let me help you." Rose felt so lightheaded and dizzy, so desperate to stop breathing so harsh and fast she was willing to agree to anything he said. So, with a faint nod, she agreed.

"That's my girl." He then closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against hers, pushing into her oxygen starved mind. With only a few calming words in Gallifreyan did she relax, allowing the seizing sensation in her lungs to abate. Rose took another desperate gasp, her lungs were still tight but the air moved through. The Doctor pulled her toward him, locking his lips over hers and he forced air into her changing lungs, allowing them to open up. He pulled away saying softly,

"Just breathe." Rose took in several breaths, clean breaths. Her lungs no longer seized up as she breathed in deeply, smiling up at the Doctor.

"Thank you." An explosion and the shattering of metal screamed its way up the staircase, causing Rose to jump with fright. A loud bang was heard as a heavy object slammed from below. There were voices shouting and the screeching of metal being moved across the concrete floor. The Andorrans had finally broken through.

"They're through, Doc! Keep moving!" Without a word the Doctor pulled Rose to her feet as they started to sprint up the stairs again. Rose, still lightheaded and weary stumbled a few times behind him.

"Just three more flights Rose. Come on, you can make it!"

"Easy for you—to—to say!" she gasped upon dashing up the second flight of stairs from where they had stopped. The Doctor could hear someone shouting orders from below and the sound of gunfire.

"Damn it," whined Jack, "I was hoping that would hold longer!" He then started a quick rapid fire down the shaft as a warning. Jack, without a backward glance or looking down the shaft of the staircase again, he turned, and ran at full speed after the Doctor and Rose.

Without warning, gunfire shattered up the stairs, bullets and blasters pinging against and tearing through metal. Jack quickly returned fire, but the bullets would not stop. With a yelp of surprise, Jack threw himself against the wall as a torrent of gunfire screamed it's way up the shaft. The noise was so deafening that Rose covered her ears as she found herself being pushed into a corner of the staircase. The Doctor pulled her close as he blocked her from any flying bullets.

A voice snapped down below for the fire to stop. A commanding, angry voice yelled and cursed at the men, telling them if they fired so blindly that they would surely hit the girl. Rose heard that, causing a gasp to wrench from her teeth as she again wondered why they were after her. Without a second to think, the Doctor grabbed her hand and once again proceeded up the winding staircase hollering down at Jack,

"Come on, Jack!" Before starting up the stairs again. On the ground floor, Jack saw the Andorrans starting up the stairs. He was able to take down two men but then sprinted up the stairs knowing it was hopeless at this point.

Up and up they went. To Rose it seemed to be an eternity until they reached the sixth floor with only one more to go. Bullets screamed their way up the shaft again; this time directed more towards the Doctor and Jack. Jack returned fire as bullets rained upwards towards them. They were too close, Rose screamed as the metal and plaster walls took the full impact of the bullets just behind her. She could hear them coming, whizzing like angry bees.

"Almost there!" shouted the Doctor, pulling Rose with him up the last flight of stairs and the door to the roof was insight. Ramming his shoulder against the door, the Doctor grinned at the bright sunlight, thinking they were home free.

He was dead wrong.

The sound of guns clicking made the three friends stop dead in their tracks. Numerous, heavily armed Andorrans were on the roof, guns aimed at them.

"How in the hell?" cursed Jack as he quickly turned and slammed the door behind him, using a laser blaster to melt the door to its frame. Hopefully that would stop the soldiers coming up the stairs while they dealt with these guys and escaped. The former Time Agent then whirled around, his gun shifting from man to man as he muttered towards the Doctor, "How did they beat us up here?"

"Hand over your weapons, _now_!" commanded one of the soldiers, his gun aimed at Jack's heart. "You too, Time Lord!" The Doctor glanced at Rose who clung to his arm, her brown eyes alive with both fear and anger.

"What do we do _now_?" whispered Jack to the Doctor, his gun shifting between the eight soldiers that surrounded them. The Doctor's eyes narrowed as he ran an analysis of the guards. It was clear by their stance and the way they held their weapons that they were well trained. He swallowed as he came to the conclusion these must be the secret police, but what in Rassilon's name did they want with Rose?

"Doctor?" Rose's strong, but slightly quivering voice broke through, her eyes darting between the Doctor and the guns aimed at them. They had no choice but to surrender, they were out manned and out gunned. If they tried to fight their way out, surely Rose would be killed.

"Throw down your weapons Jack, they win this round," said the Doctor coolly as he held up his hands in surrender, gesturing for Jack and Rose to do the same. Jack stood flabbergasted as a loud bang came from behind them. The group jumped and quickly moved forward several feet. The sudden noise of the rest of the soldiers trying to break open the door made Jack instinctively raise his gun.

"Jack, _no_!" snapped the Doctor, a bite of impatience in his voice as the former Time Agent shot him a dirty look.

"They're after Rose! We can't surrender—"

"We can and we must," the Doctor replied firmly, "If we fight there is a good chance of all of us getting killed, especially Rose." Jack bit his lip as his eyes landed on the blonde girl. With a sigh Jack lowered his weapon and decided to comply. He could be brought back to life, the Doctor could regenerate, but Rose…even if she was changing into someone similar to the Doctor, a Time Lady as they were called, her abilities were still growing. There was a very good chance she could die.

"Good," snapped the commander, his gun still trained on Jack, "Lower your weapons slowly to the floor. Keep your hands where we can see them. The captain here," he nodded to an aqua marine tinted soldier beside him, "Shall retrieve your weapons."

With a sigh, Jack slowly and deliberately took out each gun and lowered them to the floor. The Doctor, with a look of remorse, lowered the Sonic Screwdriver to the floor as well. Rose merely stood there in angry silence as she glared at the Andorran soldiers.

Once all the weapons were removed, the captain swiftly collected them as a carmine tinted soldier came up from behind him reaching for Rose.

"Give us the girl," he commanded, his dark red eyes locking onto Rose. Rose took an instinctive step back as the Doctor pulled her behind him. Jack quickly stepped behind Rose, the two men forming a shield around the girl.

"Not a chance in hell!" snapped Jack, resting his hands on Rose's shoulders. With a grim smile, Rose raised her head as the door finally broke free, crashing to the floor as the remaining soldiers swept onto the roof. The Doctor gripped Rose's hand tightly as she wrapped her free arm about his torso. If they were going to take her, they'd have to pry her from him!

The remaining soldiers swept with silent and quick efficiency onto the rooftop, surrounding the three friends totally. Now they truly had nowhere to go. Jack let out a stream of curse words as he tried to figure a way out of this mess. No answer was forthwith coming.

"Shit, Doctor, now look what you've got us into!" mumbled Jack, when he looked at the Time Lord he realized that the Doctor was starting to see the gravity of their situation. Rose bit her lip as she counted the soldiers in all, about twenty men were here, and God knows how many were downstairs waiting for them!

"Doctor…" whispered Rose as she gripped his trench coat tightly as her eyes flickered between the Doctor and the muzzle of the gun aimed at him.

There was a sudden flurry of activity as the soldiers stood at attention as a man in a black and gold uniform arrived on the roof. Rose surveyed him coldly, he had numerous metals on his chest and by the way the commander softly spoke to him with crisp, precise answers, Rose knew he had to be a high-ranking officer.

The man nodded as he listened to the commander, his blood red eyes landing on Rose then shifting to the Doctor. The blood red tint to his skin and hair made Rose shiver as she locked eyes with him, had she not known better, she would have thought he was covered in blood.

The man gave a final nod as he moved towards the trapped group. The three friends tensed as he stood mere feet away from the Doctor and Rose. His eyes surveyed them, his eyes landing with slight curiosity and disregard on Jack before he turned his attention to the Doctor. He surveyed the Time Lord up and down with a look of disgust and contempt, his lip giving a slight curl of anger. The Doctor merely met his gaze with a cool look as he surveyed the man as well. The man snorted as he shook his head, spitting out,

"Typical." The Doctor's eyes narrowed as his brow furrowed at the man's statement. Before he could say or do anything, the man's eyes turned to Rose. The effect was instant, his eyes softened with curiosity and respect as he surveyed Rose. Rose blushed as she felt his gaze travel slowly up her body, like someone surveying a prized mare. The man then smiled as a chuckle passed his lips as he reached out for Rose.

The Doctor instantly tried to step back, taking her with him, but the man was too fast. He gently took hold of Rose's hand and brought it to his lips in reverence. Rose's eyebrows shot up as she looked from the man to the Doctor. Clearly her assumptions were wrong, they were not after her to harm her. The Doctor's brow furrowed even more, as his eyes grew dark with worry.

"What the hell?" whispered Jack as he leaned just over Rose's shoulder, staring in shock at the man. The man still held Rose's hand in a firm grasp as he gave her a low bow.

"Greetings, my Lady Rose." Rose's mouth dropped open slightly. How on earth did they know her name? The Doctor took a step forward, causing the man to rise from his bow and glare at the Doctor. His men cocked their guns as a warning for the Doctor to not take another step towards the high-ranking officer. The Doctor's eyes flickered for a moment at the guns before ignoring them and looking at the officer.

"Who are you?" The man's frown deepened as he looked at the Doctor, quickly shoving his question aside and looking towards Rose as if she had asked the question.

"I am General Devlin Fearghus Guthrie. The Major General of His Imperial Majesty's Army, your servant, dear lady." He bowed again towards Rose, his dark red eyes upon her face. Jack gave a low whistle as his eyebrows rose further up his forehead. This sounded more like courtier talk from the 16th century than hostile aliens after a single human girl. The Doctor growled as he shifted to the left, shielding Rose from view.

"Why are you after Rose?" General Guthrie glared at the Doctor a frown forming on his face.

"I will not answer to you Time Lord!" The Doctor gritted his teeth, Rose wrapped her other arm around his torso as well. Keeping him from doing something foolish. Rose knew then that if they were not going to respect the Doctor, then they might just…

"Then answer to me!" commanded Rose, the Doctor twisted around to look at her, her arms still clenched tightly around him. Rose ducked under his arm as she moved to stand beside him, still not letting him go. Jack shifted to the left, still staying behind her but giving himself a clearer view of the enemy.

"Rose, what are you—?" Rose smiled up at him as she winked, not replying to his question. Instead, she straightened her spine, held up her head, and spoke in a commanding voice very similar to the Bad Wolf.

"Why are you after me? What have I done to offend you? If it is me you seek, then," Rose took a breath, unable to believe what she was about to say, "Then take me and leave these two gentlemen unharmed." The General smiled at Rose as his canine teeth flashed at her, Rose did not break eye contact with him.

"Rose, no!" moaned Jack softly beside her, yet she did not look at him.

"I daresay my lady, the Prince was right about you. Strong, beautiful, full of spirit and wit." Rose blinked as her mouth opened slightly in shock. The Doctor's color dropped another notch as he cursed under his breath. The royal family was after Rose? What in all of the universe and the mountain peaks of Gallifrey was going on?

"The—the _Prince_?" sputtered Rose, not daring to break eye contact, she instead moved closer to the Doctor for comfort. He placed a protective arm about her shoulders as he watched the general with narrowed eyes.

"Yes, my lady," chuckled the General, a dark eyebrow rising in surprise, "You have not offended us at all! Our dearly beloved Prince is smitten with you." Rose felt her heart drop upon hearing those words. For the first time she broke eye contact and looked up at the Doctor. There was only one person from Andorra who claimed to be in love with her.

"Doctor…it can't be…" she whispered, gripping his trench coat tightly as her hands began to shake. The Doctor looked down at her with sad eyes and she knew. He knew it all along, he had lied to protect her and now…

"General, don't do all the talking for me!" cried a familiar voice. Rose felt her knees buckle as the Doctor and Jack caught her before she fell an inch. Her pallor dropped to near transparent white as she slowly turned to look at the smiling figure in the doorway. He was dressed in a crisp military uniform of crimson with numerous metals pinned to his chest, his black dress pants had three lines of red through them at the side seam and his black shoes glittered like polished glass. He wore a large gold diadem with a great red Star Stone at his brow. Yet the smug face and carefree smile were the same as they were three months ago.

"_H—Howell_?" gasped Rose, her mind spinning as everything slowly started to make sense, yet it caused her stomach to drop with dread. If she thought her chest was heavy and it was hard to breathe before…

"Easy Rose," the Doctor whispered in her ear, his arm now protectively clamped at her waist. She felt Jack squeeze her shoulders in anger as his dark eyes narrowed at Howell's still smiling face. The three watched as he gracefully walked next to the General, his violet eyes locked on Rose's pale face.

"Yes, my dear," replied Howell with a courtly bow, sweeping a hand towards her. Rose bared her teeth like a threatened wolf as she doubled her grip around the Doctor's waist. The brilliant smile dropped just slightly from Howell's face as he stood up. Jack gave a laugh as he shook his head, making the Doctor and Rose turn to look at him. Jack gestured to Howell with a casual wave of his hand, saying,

"Who is this guy, Doc? Some fairy prince?" Jack quickly shut his mouth upon seeing the deadly look coming from the Doctor and the eyes of the men that surrounded them. With a groan Jack cursed himself, he and his big mouth. The General stepped forward, his blood red eyes narrowing at Jack.

"You, _sir_, are addressing His Imperial Highness, the Imperial Crown Prince of Andorra!" She _knew_ there was something odd about him! From the moment she met him did she sense something was not right about him. He was too snobbish, too courtly and proper, hell; too spoiled by the way he acted and spoke. Now she knew why, he was not an ordinary peasant boy with bad manners, but a spoiled prince! And an heir to the throne as well!

"Oh my god…" Rose whispered as she felt her stomach turn over so violently, she felt sick. Howell's smug grin returned as Rose's terrified gaze met his for the first time in months.

"Well, Rose," said Howell with a simple shrug of his shoulders, as if revealing he was a prince was common practice, "What do you think of me _now_?" Rose found her voice again as her eyes narrowed at the arrogant tone in Howell's voice. As if being a _prince_ would change her views of him!

"How come you were being beaten up by the guards if you are their prince? Why were you in peasants clothes and without a bodyguard if you are the heir to the throne?" Rose spat, her eyes traveling up and down Howell's now pristine and princely clothes, "Sounds stupid to me, _Your Imperial Highness_!" The Doctor grinned into Rose's hair as he watched Howell deflate just a little bit more from Rose's comments.

"I was merely ensuring that the lower population was in its proper place and that the guards were doing their duty." Howell returned simply, Jack and Rose both snorted softly at the comment. Howell had gotten himself into trouble on that day and he knew it. He either could not or would not want to reveal his true identity so it was a lucky break that Rose had been there to save him from a severe beating.

A cold silence fell over the group. Howell cleared his throat and made a motion to the guards as he whispered something to the General. The General nodded his head in agreement as he then snapped orders for the main force of troops to go downstairs. Only a small group of soldiers remained as Howell turned to Rose, holding his hand out to her.

"Perhaps, Rose, it shall be proper to finish this conversation downstairs. Come with me, my dear." Rose scowled at the cheery tone of affection Howell bestowed upon her. Instead, Rose stubbornly shook her head, releasing the Doctor's waist. She then clearly took his hand then Jack's gripping them tightly. A clear sign she was not going anywhere with 'Prince' Howell and was staying with her friends. Howell's eyes flashed but his facial expressions did not change.

"Fine," he snapped coolly as he gestured for them to go first. Two guards in front, two guards in back led them out. It was a little awkward going down the narrow flights of stairs but Rose kept the two men tightly at her side as if they were her lifelines.

The Doctor and Jack sent each other a look over the blonde girl's head, they had to get her out of here. Howell was here for Rose and the outcome would not be good. The two men racked their brains for the answer and a chance to escape, but everything that came across they could not do without risking Rose's life. Within a matter of minutes they made their way down the stairs to the large hanger of the warehouse.

Rose's eyebrows rose upon seeing a large group of people waiting for them. The number of guards had swelled from the original twenty she had estimated on the roof to around fifty, minus the dead and the wounded lying on the floor. Standing about in a circle was a group of men about Howell's age. They were all dressed in fine military suits of sky blue, gold or black. They were all chatting amongst themselves and several of the commanders until the little group entered. Howell moved forward pass the linked group with the General right behind him. The group of men bowed to the prince as he started a quick conversation with them.

"The Prince's court," whispered the Doctor to Rose, who merely nodded in returned. By the friendly smiles and pats on the back, that's whom she guessed these men were, "All men of noble birth who served with the prince in military training from the age of six to fourteen." Jack gave a wicked grin as he looked at the Doctor saying,

"Military men, huh? We'll see." The Doctor stayed Jack's advancement with a hand and a shake of the head.

"Rules of war are not favored and rarely taught to Andorran nobility in the military. They play dirty, you wouldn't last a minute." Jack clicked his tongue as he eyed the young men who were craning to get a good look at them. Howell, without even looking, snapped his fingers and the soldiers behind the group shoved them forward. The Doctor winced as they hit his still healing shoulder.

"Doctor? Are you okay?" asked Rose, her eyes alight with worry as she shot the guard who shoved him a cold look. The Doctor merely squeezed her hand in reassurance. The soldiers stopped them feet from Howell and his court. His friends all smiled and nodded upon seeing Rose, one even slapping Howell on the back. Howell then turned to look at Rose, gesturing for her to come forward.

"Rose, come here." She stubbornly shook her head as she gripped her friends' hands harder until her knuckles and fingers were white with tension. Howell frowned as his eyes fell onto the Doctor and Rose's linked hands. "It would be best if I could say what I wish to say to you in _private_," he emphasized. Rose tossed her hair as she raised her chin, she would not be commanded.

"No," she said coolly, "Whatever you have to say to me, you can say to the Doctor and Jack as well." Howell's violet eyes narrowed as he growled,

"Fine then."

With a snap of his fingers, Howell ordered the guards to break apart the companions. The instant she felt hard, cold hands grab her wrists did she clamp down harder onto the Doctor and Jack's hands. The two men began to fight as the guards forced their arms behind their backs while trying to pry Rose away.

"Be careful with her!" snapped Howell, his eyes locking on Rose's wrists, "She is very delicate compared to us, gentle, be gentle with her." Howell's friends chuckled at his comment. Rose glared at Howell as she bit her lip, she could almost feel the deep tissue bruises forming.

"Let go, Rose," whispered the Doctor urgently. Rose gasped, meeting his eyes, they were soft and full of worry. His eyes flickered down to her healed wrist then back to her face in silent communication. He wanted to spare her the pain of another broken wrist or worse. Yet Rose merely tightened her grip in response.

"I'm not going to let him separate us," she whispered back quickly in a desperate attempt to persuade him to fight. The Doctor sadly shook his head, at this point they were out manned and out gunned, there was no way they'd win.

"We cannot fight them now, Rose! Can't you see that? He won't separate us! We'll be fine, let go, Rose! Just let go!" Rose squeezed her eyes shut as she thought for a second about defying him and would only let go until they broke her wrists.

"Please, Rose!" begged the Doctor, at the sound of the desperation and panic in his voice, Rose relented and released both men. The instant she let go, the guards wrestled the two men to the floor, twisting their arms painfully behind their backs. The Doctor did not even fight, his eyes locked on Rose's anguished face as they bound his wrists with electric, ion handcuffs. If one tried to escape, the handcuffs would give the person a good jolt like a taser.

"_Don't_—" cried out Rose, but for she could finish, Howell spun her around to face him. Rose turned to look at the passive Doctor lying on the floor while Jack fought like a rabid dog backed into a corner.

"Oh yeah!" shouted Jack as he wrestled with his opponents, "You wanna fight?" The Doctor sighed as he pressed his forehead against the cold concrete floor trying to draw upon centuries of patience and tact as he looked up at the struggling immortal.

"Jack, they are stronger than humans, if you keep fighting you could break something!" In that instant there was a snap as Jack cried out in pain, swearing in every known human language and quite a few alien ones too.

"That was my ankle you fuc—" Before he could finish, he was handcuffed, shoved hard onto the floor and electrocuted by an electric pike by one of the guards who stood over his bruised and bloodied form. Rose twisted painfully to look at Jack sprawled on the floor in pain as she shouted,

"JACK!" Rose tried to move back towards the two men on the floor, but felt the painful twist and pull of Howell's steely grasp.

"_Come_." Howell whispered to her softly, his warm breath whooshing across her cheek as she dug her heels into the floor, determined to stay where she was. Yet Howell's superior strength and dead grip on her wrists made her comply.

"Rose, Rose, Rose!" Rose felt her chin being jerked upward as Howell gripped her chin painfully tight, making their eyes meet. A smirk filled his face as Rose scowled at him. The Bad Wolf inside of her flared with rage as she tried to jerk her head away, but his grip on her chin was too tight.

"Let—us—go!" growled Rose under her breath as Howell wrapped his free arm about her waist, pulling her close to him. Howell's smile merely widened as he said,

"Listen, to what I have to say then Rose." Rose's brow furrowed as she looked to see out of the corner of her eye the Doctor and Jack being forced onto their knees, two guards at each shoulder. Jack swore under his breath as he tried to move his ankle.

"You alright?" asked the Doctor softly, trying to lean back slightly to look at Jack's swollen ankle. Jack gave a mix between a grimace and a grin as he looked at the Doctor.

"Hurts like hell, but it'll heal in a few minutes. Damn these guys are strong!" The Doctor frowned as his eyes flickered down at Jack's ankle before turning to look at Rose. She and Howell were just out of hearing range but he could tell from their facial expressions Howell seemed very smug and Rose very angry.

"Then don't fight them," muttered the Doctor, it did not surprise him Jack's healing capabilities had increased in stamina along with his immortality. If only it affected his brain…

Rose's eyes flickered over Howell's smug face as she sighed, lowering her head, dreading what she would hear as she asked,

"Fine then. _Why_ are you here?" Howell tilted Rose's chin upwards again, forcing her to look him in the eye. His eyes went soft as he looked at her in what she assumed was a 'loving' look, but all she saw was pure desire. Rose flushed as she remembered the Doctor's words from what seemed so long ago and how she teased him for it. Now she could see he was dead right.

"I have something I want to ask you." Howell ran his cold fingers over Rose's cheek making her flinch at his touch. He released her and took her hands instead as he sank down onto his knees. Rose felt her heart drop into her stomach as her stomach squeezed in horror.

"_No_," whispered the Doctor, as he watched Howell sink to his knees, "No, no, no, no, no!" Jack's pallor dropped as he forgot all about his broken ankle as he watched Rose pull away from Howell's grasp, her hands flying to her mouth in horror.

"He's not—"

Rose felt her entire body shake with fear as Howell offered his hands up to her, proclaiming in a loud voice for all to hear,

"Rose Tyler of Earth, I, Howell Ea Gaerwn Raghnall, the Imperial Crown Prince of Andorra, ask for your hand in marriage." Rose staggered backward as her world spun dangerously before her eyes. Feeling lightheaded and sick, she leaned against a nearby pillar, pressing her forehead against the cool metal.

"The lady is shocked," chuckled one of the Prince's friends, elbowing one of his fellows standing next to him. The men chuckled as Howell gave his friends a soft smile saying,

"Now, Rhys. Let's not rush or embarrass her. Let her think."

"Her answer should be immediate my lord!" said another courtier.

"Perhaps it is all a shock that Your Imperial Highness is first a prince and then asking for her hand!" responded another. Howell gave them all a nod as he scolded softly,

"Declan, Gaius, be quiet if you please." Howell then turned to look at a still shocked Rose who was breathing deeply, her eyes closed as she still rested her head against the pillar. She was determined not to faint in front of him! "Well, my dear? What is your answer?"

"She'll _never_ marry you!" snapped the Doctor, making the entire company look at the Time Lord. Howell turned his gaze away from Rose. Howell's violet eyes darkened as they shifted to the Doctor. Jack swallowed loudly as his eyes darted between the Doctor and the prince. The tension between them was electrifying that the very air seemed to spark with electricity.

"Oh?" Howell said coolly, his eyes narrowing. He would not let this Time Lord get to him this time! "It seems I have all the cards to play, Time Lord and you don't." The Doctor growled as he struggled against the guards holding him back. Rose would never agree to marry him, never!

"I told you once Howell that you can never make Rose Tyler do anything against her will!" Rose turned to look at the Doctor, a timid smile crossing her lips. The Doctor winked at her. Howell then side stepped to block Rose from his view.

"She'll become my wife. A princess and one day, Queen Empress of Andorra, with all the riches she can have. How can a woman say no to that?" spat Howell, grinning. Jack threw back his head and laughed. Howell then turned his attention to the human male, his eyes narrowing

"She doesn't _love_ you, you stupid bastard!" Jack laughed, "A woman's heart is a fickle thing, prince! Yet once it's set on something or _someone_, she will rarely change her mind! And her heart is _not_ set on _you_!" Howell glared at Jack's toothy grin as one of his aides, a young man with light blue coloring in a sky blue uniform stepped forward, drawing out a ceremonial dagger from his belt.

"_Silence_! You will not address the Prince in such a manner!" Howell put a hand on the man's shoulder before he could reach Jack.

"That will not be needed Greer, _hopefully_…" Greer shot Jack a look before sheathing his dagger away, bowing to the prince and backing away. His light blue eyes locked onto Jack's still grinning face. Jack chuckled as he shook his head.

"Hey bud, I am not a citizen of your planet and I have no respect for this pompous asshole who thinks he can stock a girl into marriage and shoot at us! So fuc—" An electric pike was then stabbed into Jack's back, cutting his words off as he was electrocuted for several seconds, causing him to slump to the floor before being hauled back onto his knees.

"Jack!" Howell glared, his eyes darkening with rage as he pulled out his own dagger and pointed it at the wounded former Time Agent.

"I don't know who you are, human, but if you speak so careless to me one more time, I'll have your tongue cut out!" Still weak and shaking, Jack gave a weak laugh as he grinned.

"Like I haven't heard _that_ before! Oh and by the way, name's Harkness, Captain Jack Harkness." Howell approached Jack, waving away the guards that held him down. Howell grabbed Jack by the collar of his shirt and yanked him painfully upward.

The Doctor and Rose both made cries of protest but were silenced when Howell's dagger was pressed against Jack's throat. Jack blinked, but he did not seem phased. The two stared at each other as silence permeated the room. Since Jack did not even move or show any emotion, Howell lowered the dagger saying,

"Well, _captain_, I suggest you shut your mouth before I have you shot!" The Doctor and Rose breathed again easy once the dagger was pulled away and Howell stood up. Rose leaned against the pillar, pressing her head against the cold stone. Howell then turned towards Rose, a warm smile coming over his face as he walked towards her.

"Well then, Rose, what do you say?" Rose slowly looked up at Howell; her eyes seemed blank and empty at first. But her face morphed into a hard look, her eyes narrowing in anger as she spat out softly,

"_No…_" Howell stopped walking toward her blinking in surprise at her soft answer as if he did not hear her. He regained his warm smile as he held out his hand towards her.

"What, my dear?"

"_NO_!" Howell froze, his smile dropping as he stupidly still held his hand out for her. The Doctor and Jack both grinned. Rose pulled away from the pillar, approaching Howell with an angry gaze and finger pointed in his face, "My answer is _no_! I will _not_ marry you! There, _that _is my answer. Now, let me and my friends go!"

Howell continued to stare dumbly at Rose until he regained his senses. His court seemed dumbfounded that Rose had the audacity to tell their prince 'no'. Howell's brow furrowed as a frown filled his face as he forced Rose to lower her hand.

"That was not the answer I was hoping for Rose." Rose laughed cruelly as she clicked her tongue at Howell. He was expecting her to say yes just because he was a prince? That he had the power to threaten her and her friends? No man, no prince was worth marrying if that was how he treated women!

"Oh? You were expecting a _yes_? I barely know you and after everything you've done to my friends and I, I'd _never_ say yes. Prince or no prince." Rose's face flushed red with frustration as her hands balled into fists as she forced herself not to pummel Howell, remembering what had happened the last time she had hit him. The hopeful light in Howell's eyes died out as a majestic coldness came over him. Rose did not physically flinch but mentally she did, what was he up to?

"Very well then," Howell snapped coldly as he glared down at Rose, "If that is your answer…" Rose crossed her arms over her chest and nodded, once again affirming that 'no' was her answer to his proposal.

Howell snapped his fingers and made a sharp movement with his hand at the guards holding Jack and the Doctor. Rose held her breath, thinking they were going to let them go. She was dead wrong. Instead the guards forced the Doctor and Jack to straighten up as they cocked their guns and pointed them at the two men.

"NO!" screamed Rose as she ran forward to stop the guards from harming the two. She did not get far. Howell grabbed Rose about her waist and pulled her to him, stopping her from attacking the guards. Rose tried to push, kick and punch Howell to pass him but his hold on her once again was strong but gentle this time.

Her terrified gaze was locked onto the loaded guns jammed hard into the Doctor and Jack's backs. Her visions flashed before her eyes, was this what they were warning her about? If she did not agree to Howell's demand that they'd be killed? Rose turned to face Howell who was smiling down at her with that ugly smile of his.

"Let them go!" snarled Rose as she fought against his grasp. Howell looped an arm about Rose's lower back and tilted her chin upwards with his other hand as he leaned in, his hot breath tickling her cheek and ear.

"You _can_ refuse me, Rose," said Howell coldly, "If you refuse me and my proposal of marriage again, I will leave you alone forever, never bother you again, but…your freedom comes with a price…" Rose's eyes darted away from Howell to look at Jack and the Doctor who were struggling against the guards holding them down and trying to move away from the guns buried in their backs.

"No…please…" begged Rose softly, tears stinging her eyes as she forced herself to not let them fall. Howell yanked her chin to make her look at him as he gave her a nasty grin.

"Oh yes, my dear. You can be free of me, but with a price: their deaths. Can you live with that Rose? Mmm? Their blood on your hands for your freedom?" Rose shook her head as a stray tear fell down her paling face.

"No, you can't! This is between you and me! Let them go!" Howell chuckled as he drew Rose in closer to him, resting his forehead against hers. Rose growled as she yanked her head back painfully, only those closest to her were allowed to do that!

"Oh, but I can Rose. You see, I love your fire, your spirit. I need you. I want you as my wife. If you refuse me, you can have your freedom from me, but it will be forever stained with their blood unless…"

"_Unless_?" Rose whispered the word, praying he would not say the terms that she knew was coming.

"Unless you agree to marry me. Marry me Rose and I will release them as soon as we are married…"


	16. Chapter 16

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Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it is owned by the lovely BBC!

**Chapter 15: The Deal**

Rose felt silence come upon her that was shattered by a terrible ringing in her ears. A hand flew to her chest as she began to breathe harshly as panic began to set in. If she refused him again, he would have the Doctor and Jack killed right in front of her! She'd have to live with that for the rest of her life. Or she could marry Howell ensuring their freedom and their lives…Or even more grim, Rose could say 'yes' and Howell could…

No, he owed her his life…If she could barter with Howell, her marriage vows and the life debt he still owed her could save them…then…

"Then…" Rose whispered, her eyes landing on the Doctor and Jack, both of them looked stricken with fear and shock as they stared at her. Her eyes then blurred as she looked at Howell's smug face…

The hyperventilation got the better of her as her vision went black for a moment. She blinked violently as she was able to catch herself before her knees buckled. Gasping, she steadied herself as Howell's grin widened at Rose's near fainting, his court all grinned at each other. Steadying herself Rose bit her lip as a million thoughts ran through her head at once. What could she do? How could she get them out of this? Rose glared up at Howell as she bit her lip until the skin nearly broke.

"Are you well, my little darling?" asked Howell softly, as he pulled Rose against him, burying his face for a moment into her hair. Rose flushed deeply as she felt his lips brush over the sensitive skin of her neck. Squeezing her eyes shut, her mind raced with numerous problems and solutions to their situation that it made her head spin. Rose grimaced as a sharp pang ran over her mind with a flash of what seemed to be gold light.

The options danced in front of her and none of them had a happy ending. The only conclusion was…Rose's hands clenched into fists, her slim form shook so violently at the thought of her choice. Howell was still breathing in her scent when she opened her eyes. The Doctor's eyes met hers and widened in shock. For a moment they were pure gold as they shimmered with white gold power. Her gaze held knowledge that Rose could have never known on her own. Whatever that knowledge was, it quickly faded along with the gold irises as Rose blinked, shaking the pounding sensation out of her head.

"So," Howell had finally pulled away, his eyes flashing with desire and some form of intoxication, "Give me your answer. Will you have me…or no?" Howell's eyes flickered over to the two captured men and back. The warning could not be any clearer than that. With trembling hands, Rose pushed him away so she could look him in the face when she spoke next.

"If I marry you…" said Rose slowly, watching Howell's face, trying to ensure he was not lying to her, "You'll let them go?" Howell moved closer towards her, the grin on his face widening with each passing second. Rose winced; she could see the canine fangs just under his grinning lips. His violet eyes bore into her; Rose felt frozen with fear.

"You have my word, my darling Rose," Howell picked up Rose's trembling, hand and kissed it twice. He then turned her hand over as he kissed her once on the palm… "Once you are mine, I'll release them. A word of an Imperial Prince of Andorra." Rose's brow furrowed as she pulled her hand away from Howell's lips, forcing him to look at her once more.

"And on the word of your life debt to me. You shall not harm them. Once I marry you, you'll set them free." Howell blinked as he flashed her a toothy grin, showing his fangs. What powers did his lovely Rose possess? Had she known all those months ago that her life debt would be needed to save her worthless friends?

"Of course…" he said smoothly snatching up Rose's hand again. She made a face as he then pulled up the sleeve of her jacket and placed a bare intimate kiss on the inside of her wrist. The wrist he broke; the wrist the Doctor fixed, if there was a metaphor in that, well… A bile filled Rose's mouth, she loved to be wooed and all, but being wooed and forced to marry a man under duress…marry a man she did not love to save her friends' lives…it disgusted her. She fell utterly sick. Rose heard the Doctor growl when Howell kissed her wrist.

Rose turned, Jack and the Doctor were still being held down by the guards. Her eyes flickered to the dark guns still digging painfully into their backs. Rose bit her lip as she felt Howell push the sleeve of her jacket up further to place two more kisses on the bare skin of her wrist.

Jack seemed to be trying to calculate a plan out, his dark eyes flickering between Rose, Howell, and the guards to numerous points of escape. The Doctor on the other hand, had his eyes on Rose and Howell. An angry look filled his dark eyes as he bared his teeth like a dog, his eyes locked onto Rose's terrified face. Rose swallowed, what she was about to say next made her sick to the core.

She had no other choice…The Doctor and Jack's lives were in her hands and a single word could save or kill them. Howell gave Rose an eager grin as he watched her mind circle again and again around her options. Rose took a deep breath, closing her eyes in a mere whisper said,

"_Yes,_ I will marry you…" Howell's face filled with joy as he pulled Rose into a tight embrace. Rose instantly froze, but only for a moment before she began to fight back, struggling to pull away. But his grip was strong, she could feel her muscles ache as she was sure bruises were forming on her arms. How could she forget she punched this bastard and ended up with a broken wrist? Before she could even comprehend what she had just agreed to, Howell grabbed Rose by the waist, swinging her up into the air.

Howell was laughing—he had her! He _had_ her! Rose was his, not the Time Lord's, but _his_! Rose was going to be his wife, his princess, the mother of his children and one day his queen! Howell's heart was lighter than it had been for months.

He did not even notice Rose pushing down on his shoulders for him to lower her and let her go. He did not even see the angry, cold look on her face when he finally did set her down. He turned to see her two friends kneeling there, shocked. With a wicked grin he waved his hand and the guns were pulled away from the two men. He heard his new fiancée sigh with relief, but Howell was looking at the Time Lord. His pale face seemed shocked that Rose took up his offer, before it quickly changed into a look of hate.

_She's mine now,_ Howell thought, _You will not have her!_ Howell then turned to his court holding Rose's hand aloft along with his own, proclaiming,

"Then it is settled! Let the engagement and wedding preparations begin! Send word to His Imperial Majesty, that he is soon to have a beautiful daughter-in-law!" His court and soldiers cheered wildly. Rose was sure she was turning green as her stomach twisted and turned. She said yes…she said yes…

"So my dear, we have a deal," Howell whispered softly into her ear. Rose raised her head as she tried to twist away from his grasp. Yet his hold on her upper arms was still strong. Rose felt like screaming, she was going to marry this monster! Yet she had no real choice; she would not see her friends die.

She twisted painfully around to look at the Doctor and Jack. Both the Doctor and Jack were pale, very pale. Jack's dark eyes were wide with shock, his jaw hanging open. The Doctor's eyes were full of numerous emotions, fear and shock being the ones she could easily pinpoint. He looked away from her and Rose felt her heart drop. Was he angry at her? Or upset at her situation and that he could not help her? The snap of Howell's fingers called her away from the Doctor.

"Rhys," called Howell over his shoulder at one of his friends. A man with ochre colored tints and a black uniform came forward. He was carrying an exquisitely carved jewel box; the wood was golden in color with numerous Star Stones and other gems glimmering on the surface. With a bow Rhys handed Howell before backing away. Howell then offered the box to Rose.

"Here, open it," he commanded cheerfully. Rose reached out and opened the lid. Inside on what seemed to be a mix of velvet and silk cloth of a rich purple was a ring. Howell grinned at Rose's stunned face. It was a beautiful ring, she had to admit despite knowing what it was: an engagement ring. It was a beautiful gold ring with fine metal work. Even the tiny details were well crafted as Rose peered at it. In the center encircled by tiny diamond like stones was a beautiful, large round pink stone.

"Do you like it? It's a rare stone called: A Rose Star. Fitting I think." Rose stared blankly at the ring as Howell removed the ring from its purple bed, handing the jewel box back to Rhys. He leaned forward as he snatched up Rose's right hand. This time Rose did not jerk away from him as he whispered in her ear,

"You are mine." Howell then took Rose's hand into his as he slid the ring onto her right ring finger. With a grin, Howell then tilted Rose's chin upward, his thumb moving down the side of her face, "My beautiful bride…_My_ Rose…"

Rose's eyes flickered back down to the stone, it glittered back up at her, the star formations winking at her on the pink stone. The ring felt cold and heavy on her finger as she continued to stare down at it. It truly was a beautiful piece of jewelry that she would have gladly accepted under any other circumstances. Yet, here and now it was nothing but a gaudy trinket to seal the deal. Rose licked her dry lips; she knew she had to now be careful with Howell. At his word he could harm her friends if she stepped out of line. So she said softly, but dully,

"It's beautiful. Thank you." Though she wanted nothing more than to rip it off her finger and chuck it at his head! Howell smiled as he pulled Rose close to him, their torsos touching his face inches from hers.

"Just like you…" Howell leaned into kiss her; Rose pulled her body away from him, bending her back until it screamed in protest. Turning her face away so that if he did kiss her, he kissed her cheek instead of her lips. But, it never got to that.

"_NO_!" Rose turned sharply, pulling away from Howell as she turned to see the Doctor trying to fight the guards off again. Howell released her as he glared at the desperate Time Lord, "No Rose, you can't! You cannot trust him! In a blink of an eye, he'll break his deal! You're not safe! We're not safe! Please, Rose, refuse him! Say no!" The look on his face was so desperate, that Rose clapped her hands over her mouth as tears drowned her vision of him. His face was begging her to reconsider her options.

Rose's hands trembled violently as she sucked in deep breaths. There was no other way, she could not, would not see them die for her freedom. As her vision cleared she saw his light brown eyes begging her, pleading her to not give her hand to Howell. Rose squeezed her eyes shut in pain for a moment as she bit her lip hard. So hard that she could taste blood in her mouth, it made her want to be sick.

"The Doc's right Rosie!" shouted Jack. Jack's eyes narrowed as he glared at Howell, nodding his head towards the Andorran prince, "Royalty, no matter the time or the species have a long track record of not keeping their promises. Besides, we can take care of ourselves, Rose! Think about what you're doing!" Rose shook her head as tears streamed down her face. Howell laughed, he pulled Rose towards him, his arm about her waist.

"You see, Time Lord? She is mine now!" The Doctor glared at Howell as he said softly through gritted teeth,

"She'd be yours only by law, but you'll never have her love…" Howell frowned as Rose rubbed the tears out of her eyes as she stepped out of his grasp and towards the Doctor.

"You will not…" said Howell softly, as he reached out and grabbed her upper arm to stop her. Rose shot him a look but he did not release her.

"Rose, please, this is your future, your life. Do you really want to be married to this—" The Doctor jerked his head towards Howell which made the prince bare his teeth at the Time Lord making the Doctor smirk, "—jerk or live as you want to? This is not about us, this about you!"

"But—But they'll kill you! Both of you! This is just as much about you two as it is about me!" The Doctor gave her a soft smile, his eyes soft with worry as tears stung at his own eyes. He would not let her give up her life for him. She had done so countless times before, but here is where he drew the line. He shook his head as he said softly,

"I will not see you become a victim of the Andorran Empire and of it's…royal family," the Doctor spat, his eyes fixing upon Howell for a moment, "The royal court is corrupt where women have no power, no say in anything. You will be a prisoner until the day you die and I will not see that! Take it back! Take back what you said Rose! Refuse him and live. Please…for my sake…" Rose hiccupped as she forced back a sob before shaking her head shouting,

"NO! I WON'T! You died for me once, I will not see that happen again, Doctor!" Howell grinned as he tried to pull Rose to him to comfort her, but she slapped his hand away.

"Rose…Please…" the Doctor begged again. Rose shook her head again. The Doctor was staring at her sadly with a mix of shock, understanding and anger.

"No…" Howell chuckled as he walked towards the Doctor a sly grin upon his face as he leaned down so he was eye to eye with the Doctor.

"You said it yourself, Time Lord. Rose will not be ordered about!" Howell then turned and started to walk away when the Doctor snapped,

"She's strong willed and stubborn, prince! She does not take kindly to orders…even from her husband! She'll fight you, each and everyday until the day she dies! Is that the sort of wife, an Imperial Prince of Andorra wants? I thought you lot liked the silent, obedient type, eh?" Howell whirled around to face the Doctor, his face paling slightly at his words. It was Rose's fire and passion he loved, but as the future king he did need a wife whom he could control.

The Doctor grinned as something flashed across his light brown eyes. Howell growled with fury as his face morphed into a dangerous look. The prince approached the Doctor again, gesturing for one of the guards to haul the Time Lord to his feet. Rose gasped as she moved forward shouting,

"Don't hurt him!" Rose was seized about the waist by General Guthrie and dragged a considerable distance away from Howell and her friends. Yet Howell had forgotten his promise in his moment of rage as he pulled back his hand and slapped the Doctor hard.

"_Silence_!" Howell roared, his violet eyes nearly a purplish-black in color as he glared at the Doctor. He would not be insulted by this Time Lord. Rose would come to heel when she was his wife. He would make sure of that. Rose's voice crashed over him as her anger poured out as she snapped,

"You bastard, you promised!"

Jack shot Howell a withering look, but bit his tongue to ensure his own words would not harm the Doctor further. The Doctor's head snapped to the right at the force of Howell's slap. He was pretty sure his neck had cracked and as he turned to look at Howell's darkened face, he was sure the force had caused him to pull a few muscles. Had he been human, the slap very well could have forced his neck to snap, thank Gallifrey he was a Time Lord with a harder bone structure.

Rose cried out when she saw his bruised face. Her eyes were alive with fear as she fought against the General who had her in a hold.

"Doctor!" she screamed. The Doctor merely gave her a tentative smile to tell her he was okay. His cheek was red and starting to bruise as blood dripped down his lip and chin as the slap had caused his teeth to cut open the inside of his cheek. The Doctor spat blood down at Howell's feet as the electrifying presence of the Oncoming Storm came back. Even Howell shrank away for a moment before regaining his confidence.

"It's the truth and you know it…" muttered the Doctor as Howell stepped closer to the Doctor, the very air between them alive with anger and hate. "She has a fire inside of her that will never die out. Not even you will be able to put it out…You, prince, need a wife who will timidly follow you, not fight you. Rose will fight you and you will come to regret meeting her." Howell smiled, his canine teeth glittering in the dim light as his face took on a new darker shape that made the Doctor nervous. His eyes darted to Rose who had stopped struggling against the General and watched the two combatants with large, fearful eyes.

"Oh my Rose has fire and passion, which is what I love about her, Time Lord," whispered Howell, his violet eyes sparkling with a strange light that made a lump grow in the Doctor's throat, yet he snarled when Howell called Rose his, "But, I assure you, that I will break her and bend her to my will! She shall no longer be recognizable to you or herself in time…she will be mine heart, soul…_and_ body…"

Those very words made the Doctor's cool demeanor snap. His eyes flared to life as his irises grew black with rage. With immense strength and his blood roaring with anger, the Doctor managed to pull away from his guards briefly enough to ram his good shoulder into Howell's smug face. There was a definite crack as the Doctor's shoulder connected with Howell's nose. Jack gave out a loud cry of,

"HA-HA! Take _that_ pretty boy!" Howell stumbled back as the guards forced the Doctor to the floor. Howell pulled his hands away from his face, the Doctor had not broken his nose but it sure hurt like hell and dark purple blood dripped down his face from his nose and split lip. Howell pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the blood away.

"I will not be insulted and attacked by the likes of you—you—" stuttered Howell, still in utter shock that the Time Lord had attacked him and struck him in such a manner. Rose was again struggling against General Guthrie as she shouted,

"Doctor! That was foolish, why did you do that?!" The Doctor's face was flushed with anger as his black eyes surveyed Howell. How dare he threaten to rape Rose physically and emotionally! He glared at Howell as he opened his mouth to speak again, but his face was forced onto the cold concrete floor.

"Stab him hard in the back, captain, at the right shoulder if he does something foolish like that again! That is where I shot him, that wound is still fresh…" Howell made a motion for the General to release Rose, allowing her to rush forward towards the Doctor.

"You _shot_ him?!" she whispered, tears appearing in her eyes as she moved around Howell towards the Doctor. Their eyes met and Rose gave Howell such a venom filled gaze it could have killed a dozen men. Howell merely frowned at her as she turned her back on him. After glaring at Howell, she rushed forward and knelt down before her Doctor. She looked over at Jack with a soft,

"Are you okay, Jack?" Jack merely grinned as he winked at her. She returned his smile before she looked at the Doctor. The bruise on his face was swelling as the broken blood vessels and capillaries made his skin turn black and blue. Rose gently ran her fingers down over the bruise as she took in the smeared blood on his chin. Her brow firmed as she slipped her hand down the side of his neck to his right shoulder. Her fingers soon found the wound, causing him to hiss with pain.

"Sorry…" she whispered pulling her hand away. Rose turned her hand over to see her fingertips were stained with his blood. She felt her chest seize as she bit her lip, forcing herself not to panic. She rose up on her knees as she leaned over his shoulder to survey the wound. A hiss of pain came from between her teeth as her full weight rested on her injured knees, but she ignored it. Pulling at the bloody hole, she managed to rip open his suit coat and shirt a little more making the Doctor shoot her a look saying,

"Hey! Easy! I like this jacket!" Rose grinned as she muttered back,

"You probably have hundreds more just like it!" Pulling the stiff, bloody cloth away from the wound, Rose sighed with relief as she saw the wound healing on its own. A gold mist like energy shimmered over the wound as the skin and muscle slowly healed. Gently running her fingers methodically over the wound, she did not feel the hardness of a bullet or shrapnel under the wound. When she pulled her fingers away from the healing wound, her fingers tingled oddly.

"Don't touch—" the Doctor hissed, but gasped upon seeing the golden glow on Rose's fingers. Rose gasped as well upon seeing the golden mist caressing her fingertips. The sensation of the gold mist felt just like when a part of her body fell asleep.

"Bloody—" Rose whispered her words cut off with a hiss of pain. She winced as the golden glow faded into her skin making her fingertips glow on their own for a moment as a burning sensation took over. Rose's body seized as the painful burning worked its way down. The pain was not like anything she ever felt before but somehow it was oddly familiar. Like an old wound or scar she could not place. Her breath seized in her lungs as the painful sensation floated downwards, every muscle seizing as it made its slow progress downward.

The Doctor sucked in a sharp breath as he watched her. Regeneration energy had never been seen or used on a human before and he was afraid of its effects on Rose. The pain on her face and her rigid stance made his hearts want to burst. He moved towards her wishing his hands were free so he could hold her.

"Rose…" he breathed, Rose's eyes opened, they flared gold for an instant before returning to their normal shade. Her eyes seemed blank as the pain took over her entire being and he knew what that felt like. A gold shimmer then caught his eye, the gold mist had returned as it hovered over Rose's bloody and bruised knees. The mist quickly began to make short work of Rose's injuries healing the broken blood vessels, veins and skin before being absorbed into the skin. Rose shivered violently with a hiss of pain as the gold light faded away causing her to look down at her knees.

The Doctor gaped as she twisted her knees this way and that to get a better look. Her jeans were still torn and bloody but the skin underneath was perfect. Rose mumbled something as she ran her fingers over the healed skin then looked back at him. She was just as shocked as he was.

"Are you…?" he asked softly the question on the tip of his tongue. Rose merely nodded in return. With a slight frown he watched her shrug the question off as he Rose moved closer to him, cupping his face making him look at her.

"Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?" she asked softly, her brown eyes filled with hurt. The Doctor's frown deepened as his eyes flickered between Howell and Rose. The black anger in Howell's face had died away but the anger was still livid in the prince's violet eyes. With a sigh he said softly,

"I did not want to worry you." Rose's frown deepened as she surveyed his face, her eyes lingering on his before she looked away, nodding softly. He was being half truthful with her, but as of right now, she did not care. Looking up again she gave him a soft smile. She was about to speak when Howell lunged forward, Rose saw him move out of the corner of her eye and turned around to face the prince. Spreading her arms out wide, Rose was determined to protect the Doctor and Jack from Howell. However the two men were not his intended target—she was.

Giving a cry of shock and pain, Rose found Howell gripping her wrists tightly as he yanked her to her feet. The Doctor was about to protest when a sharp stab on his injured shoulder silenced him. Rose saw what happened and her bottled up anger was getting the better of her.

"Why did you shoot him? When?" hissed Rose as Howell once again pulled her away from her friends. Howell merely smirked,

"I shot him to prevent him from reaching you." Rose growled as her face became livid with anger as she snarled at Howell,

"The Doctor did not even attack you and you shot him for no reason what-so-ever!" Howell gave a half shrug as he nodded towards the Time Lord on the floor.

"He was trying to steal what is mine." Those words caused Rose to snap. Her face burned red as her face twisted into a look of hate. She managed to yank one hand away from Howell's grasp, swung her free hand around and with all her strength—

She slapped him.

The prince's friends' hands sprang to their swords but Howell held out a hand to stop them. He still kept a tight grip on Rose's other wrist, so tight Rose was to the point of crying out because of the pain. Rubbing the bluish purple spot on his cheek Howell pondered about the fire his fiancée possessed. Maybe the Time Lord was right…

Howell quickly shook the thought from his head. No, Rose's passion would give him a passionate wife and lover…

"My prince?" asked the General softly; Howell again waved him off with a smile saying,

"She is a spit fire spirit, General," Howell to turned to face a still flustered and angry Rose as he yanked her back towards him again, catching her about the waist, "She'll be a good lover…" The color in Rose's face deepened to a crimson color before receding to ashen white. Yet her color returned once she found her tongue, saying coolly,

"You won't have a fiancée if you keep breaking your promises!" Howell sighed as he saw the passionate hate and anger return once more. Howell raised a surprised eyebrow at the young human. She sure knew how to deal as Howell looked back to the two men on the floor whom Howell considered useless…to a point.

"Do not harm the prisoners," snapped Howell, rolling his eyes, gesturing for the soldiers to pull both men to their feet. What he did to obtain the woman he loved! He then turned Rose who was watching her friends rise to their feet. The Doctor did so easily, but Jack hobbled about on his good foot as he waited for the injured one to finish fully healing. With a roll of his eyes, Howell spun Rose around and forced her to look at him. He gently wiped the tears off her cheeks, lovingly.

"There, there my love…No more tears." Howell whispered into Rose's hair as he pulled her hair back from her pale face. Howell tipped her head upwards, gripping her chin tightly. Rose tried to jerk her face away from him, knowing he was going to kiss her.

"Don't—Mmph!" He pulled her in, locking his cold lips against hers as she stared wide-eyed at him. Rose's first instinct was to hit him, but she quickly remembered what had happened the last time she had done that. So had Howell, for he locked his arms about her, pinning Rose's arms to her sides. Rose could not escape, when she gave a moan of protest it was ignored. Rose clamped her eyes shut and decided to take it. _For the Doctor…for Jack_, she thought. She had agreed to marry this man however much she detested it, but if it saved Jack and the Doctor, it would be worth it.

Howell felt Rose relax against him, the tension in her arms and shoulders slipping away. Grinning under the kiss, Howell pulled her closer now wrapping his hands about her waist. He was unaware that Rose's fists shook with anger, but he did feel her shaking.

Her shaking with fear only emboldened him. Howell pressed Rose harder against him, causing her to give a muffled cry of pain against his lips. She managed to pull away, but Howell grabbed the back of her head and forced her lips to meet his once again. This time his lips swept her mouth open as he deepened the kiss.

Rose's eyes snapped open when she felt Howell force her lips open and plunged his tongue into her mouth. She felt violated and sickened as she fought against the urge to bite down. His lips were locked over hers, his tongue sliding over her gums, teeth, tongue and lips; Rose did not respond as she fought for self-control. The men in the Howell's train all whistled and laughed. Rose felt tears burn in her eyes as she shut them again, praying it would end soon.

"Stop it!" screamed the Doctor, his stomach twisted and his hearts pounded when Howell deepened the kiss. He knew what the prince was doing, he was trying to claim Rose as his own. He saw Rose stiffen when Howell opened her lips and violated her mouth. She was now shaking in earnest, her fists gripped to the point that her knuckles were white and her fingernails were biting into the skin of her palm.

Howell opened an eye and grinned to himself to see the Time Lord so distressed. The moment the two men looked at each other did the sparks in the Time Lord's eyes fan into a roaring flame. He tried to twist away from his guards, putting up quite a good fight along with the male human.

"Let her go!" the Doctor demanded, as he twisted painfully away from the guards holding him back. The only response he got was Howell's eye glittered wickedly as he returned his attention back to Rose. Pulling her closer to him, forcing her on her tiptoes as her body tensed from the force being exerted on her frail form by the Andorran.

The Doctor's heartbeats doubled as a deep flush filled his face as he watched Howell's hands slide over Rose's hips and bum. Jack flushed at the seductive and disturbing scene unfolding before him. When Howell slid his hands under Rose's shirt at the back then slowly slid his hands towards the front and upward, Jack growled. He may be the captain of innuendos, a ladies man, a charmer and quite an expert lover himself, but he knew when to back off. When a lady said 'No' he respected that, Howell clearly had not heard _that_ rule!

Rose's eyes snapped open as she yanked her head away from Howell as his hands moved towards her breasts under her shirt. She began to fight him, trying to push his hands away as she flailed, kicked and punched to get away.

"Bastard! That's enough!" shouted Jack, his black eyes narrowing in disgust. Howell had stopped groping Rose at Jack's shout, giving Rose a chance to pull away. She ran over towards the Doctor and Jack, looping her arms about the Doctor's middle, savoring the closeness and safeness. Jack saw Rose was trembling badly and her face was ashen pale with a flush pink in her cheeks. Rose was almost like a sister to him and this…this bastard, no, monster was forcing himself up her. When you messed with someone Jack Harkness cared about, you were going to be in a world of pain and humiliation.

"You alright?" asked Jack softly, trying to take a step towards the shaking Rose, but was held firmly to the spot. Rose gave Jack a light nod, which he did not believe for a moment. Howell raised an eyebrow as he gestured for Rose to come to him.

"Come here, Rose." Rose shook her head, too stunned to speak. So her act of defiance was to make sure Howell was watching when she wiped his kiss off her lips with her sleeve. She then spat at his feet, trying to get the taste of him out of her mouth.

"Apparently, the prince here does not know that 'no' means 'no'," Jack remarked coolly as he watched the Doctor whisper words of comfort to Rose, making her smile softly as the normal color returned to her face.

"No one says 'no' to a Prince of Andorra," said Greer coldly, his eyes narrowing as they rested on Jack. Jack opened his mouth to reply with a snarky comment on his tongue when three soldiers ran into the battered warehouse. They saluted the General then the lead officer whispered something to him. The General smiled as he nodded to the solider with a clap on the back. The grin widened as he turned to look at the Doctor.

"There shall be no escape for you, Time Lord," smirked the General as he pulled out a small device, round with numerous flashing lights. He pressed several of the buttons and then brought it to his mouth and talked into the device.

"Now what?" Rose asked the Doctor softly, moving closer to him as the General leaned over and whispered something to the prince. Rose felt a hot wind sweep through the room that kicked up dirt and debris about them. The holes in the metal roof shook and rattled as the hot wind bore down on them. The Doctor's eyes narrowed as he saw shadows pass over the sky.

There was a sudden whirl of engines and turbines, as the large double doors slammed against the metal wall. Just outside the warehouse, a large ship landed in the open space just outside. However the ship crashed into a smaller warehouse, the almighty crash and scream of metal made the three friends wince.

The ship had a menacing look to it, with numerous guns surrounding the ship. It was the size of a four-story building, it was sleek and aerodynamic. Jack whistled softly as he leaned over to the Doctor as he took in the fearsome ship.

"_That _is a spaceship," Jack muttered to the Doctor as the General grinned wildly as he turned to face the three prisoners. The engines in the ship winded down, giving off eerie screams as the engines and rotors died down. The General clasped his hands behind his back as he walked towards the three friends.

Rose wrapped her arms tighter around the Doctor's waist and Jack moved closer, the guards were no longer holding the two men back, but a large group of soldiers surrounded the small group of friends, their weapons at the ready.

"We have captured your ship, Time Lord," announced the General smugly. Both Rose and Jack turned to look at the Doctor as he stared wide-eyed at the general's smug face. The cargo bay door bays swung open in a wide sweeping motion. Sunlight flashed over the dark cargo bay bringing into view a blue police box.

The Doctor's face paled as a grimace came across his face as he surveyed his beloved TARDIS

"Now, we're in trouble." Jack muttered as the Doctor continued to stare at the TARDIS, _his_ TARDIS in the clutches of this…this arrogant ass! Many times before had his TARDIS fallen into the hands of the enemy, though they could not open her without a key, he was quite fearful this time around. What would they do with his ship? That was the question he feared the most. The Doctor's lips moved but no sound came out as his face paled. He could feel Rose shaking as she wrapped her arms tighter around his waist. The Doctor swallowed the bitter bile in his mouth as he glanced down at Rose and back to his TARDIS. What could he do? How could he get himself and Rose out unharmed?

Howell smiled brightly as he offered his hand towards Rose, lifting his head up in a confident gesture.

"Come my Rose! Let us embark to your new home and our new life, together!" Rose paled as her brows furrowed in anger while both Jack and the Doctor bared their teeth like threatened dogs. Oh yes, what a mess they had gotten themselves into.

_Note: Sorry for the long delay, life had me in it's clutches, but I'm back._


	17. Chapter 17

Please Review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who, it is owned by the lovely BBC!

**Chapter 16: Prisoners**

The cargo bay doors closed, the shadows marring the pristine blue doors of the TARDIS as she faded into darkness. The Doctor winced as the metal doors clanged and locked with a sudden finality. He closed his eyes, hoping that some chance of fate would somehow remove his ship from these maniacs clutches.

When he opened his eyes they flashed with fire as he glared at the smug prince. The violet and brown eyes clashed silently as Howell moved towards Rose. In turn the Doctor turned to block her from his view. Howell's eyebrow rose upon seeing this, his eyes darkening upon seeing Rose's arms locked about the Doctor's waist.

"Come my dear. Let us depart," commanded Howell cheerfully as he offered Rose his hand. Rose gave him a spiteful look as she shook her head saying,

"No." Howell frowned at Rose, his eyes flickering to the Doctor then back to Rose. The Doctor gave a sly grin as he felt Rose's form straighten next to him. Oooh, Howell was soon gonna regret everything about this situation very, very soon. Howell's eyes flashed as an annoyed look came across his face.

"Leave the prisoners and come with me."

"No, I will _not_!" Rose raised her head proudly as she looped her arms through the Doctor and Jack's. She may have agreed to marry this…this…bastard, but that did not mean he could order her about. Howell's face became marred by a hateful look as his hands curled and uncurled several times. Taking a deep breath, Howell tried to reach out for her, but Rose took a step back, pulling her two friends along with her.

"You are now a princess and must be prepared to act in such a manner!" Rose pulled a face as her dark eyes flashed. She barred her teeth like a threatened wolf as she snapped back:

"I may be your fiancée now, _Your Imperial Highness_, but you cannot order me about! I'm stayin' with the Doctor and Jack. That's final!" Howell look outraged and surprised by Rose's stubborn behavior. It only made the Doctor smile even brighter. If Rose kept this behavior up, they might be able to return to the TARDIS and earth before dinner. Howell opened his mouth to speak when General Guthrie reached out and grabbed the prince's shoulder. He made a sharp gesture then whispered something into the prince's ear. Howell shot Guthrie a look before nodding in agreement.

"The general seems to have more sense than the prince," muttered Jack, leaning over Rose to whisper the words close to the Doctor's ear. He only nodded in turn. Rose tightened her hold on their arms, her fingers digging into the cloth of their sleeves as if to anchor herself to them. Howell sighed as he snapped his fingers causing the soldiers to form up around the three friends.

"Very well my dear," spat Howell coldly as he walked pass the little group gesturing for his friends to follow them. The men were whispering to themselves, surveying Rose with a mixture of confusion, anger, and respect.

Rose smiled up at the Doctor who returned it in equal brightness. Jack winked as he whispered to her,

"Bril—Ouch!" Jack scowled as he was promptly poked in the back by an electric pike, luckily the shock was small and Rose did not feel a thing. With a grumble Jack got the hint and nodded his head forward towards the menacing ship that loomed ahead. The engines were already starting to wind back up again blowing dust and rubbish into the air.

Rose coughed as the hot air from the engines blew into her lungs. She violently coughed for a few seconds as Jack and the Doctor shot each other concerned looks. Rose winced as her hand fell to her heart pang with pain as it gave an odd shutter. Her stomach turned as her heart pounded with an odd sensation. An odd feeling and sense of doom flooded her.

"Rose?" asked the Doctor softly, his eyes filled with concern, his eyes lingering on the hand over her heart. Rose only shook her head as the pangs passed as she stood up straight, looping her arms through the Doctor and Jack's once again.

"Get moving!" ordered one of the soldiers jabbing Jack in the back again. Jack shot the guard a nasty look as he moved forward. In his wake, the Doctor and Rose followed the latter turning to glare at the guard who had ordered Jack along.

Out of the corner of his eye Jack noticed two men stationed behind them moved aside to let Guthrie pass. Jack's brow furrowed as he wondered what on earth did this man want now? Couldn't he see they were well guarded enough already?

Before anyone could blink the general acted. He caught up to the group, moved behind Rose and with one swift motion the general pressed two fingers hard on the pressure point between Rose's neck and shoulder. The effect was instant; Rose froze as her body shut down. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as her knees buckled straight out from under her. Both Jack and the Doctor turned as soon as they felt her iron grip loosen and her hands fall away from their arms.

"ROSE!" they both shouted as she slid to the floor. The Doctor moved quickly to stop Rose's dissent even if he had to throw himself onto the ground so she landed on top of him. Yet he never reached her, Guthrie caught her mid dissent catching her waist then scooping her up into his arms.

The Doctor quickly spun on the spot and moved forward to check on Rose. Two guards quickly seized him by the arms tightly. The Doctor winced as he fought against their tight grips. He was sure he'd have some pretty nasty bruises, but he had to reach Rose.

Pushing forward with enormous strength he managed to get close to his blonde companion. Her face was pale, her body limp in Guthrie's arms as her head was slumped painfully back over the general's arm. The Doctor growled under his breath upon seeing the swelling bruise on Rose's shoulder where the general had hit her.

"Doc!" warned Jack as he moved forward, only to be pulled back by several guards towards the ship. Several more guards grabbed the Doctor as adrenaline made him much stronger than normal. They began to drag him away from the general and Rose towards the ship. Howell gave a cocky smile as the Doctor was dragged past him, the Doctor's red Converse digging into the floor.

He tried to lunge at Howell as the general handed Rose's limp form over to the prince. The Doctor was worried that the Andorran's superior strength had caused internal damage to Rose or worse had hit the pressure point so hard that he could have killed her. His fears were lessened when he saw Rose's brow furrow and heard her groan. His brown eyes narrowed as they flashed with anger at the prince.

Despite his efforts he had been dragged onto the Andorran ship along with Jack. Howell looped up the ramp, shifting Rose in his arms so that her head rested on his shoulder. The prince smiled down at the pale human pressing a kiss against her forehead, ignoring the black and blue bruise his man had put upon her creamy flesh.

"If she's hurt, I swear to you Howell," shouted the Doctor as he fought against the guards holding him back, "You will rue the day you ever met me!" Howell merely smirked as he made a motion to the guards. The Doctor felt a sudden, sharp pain as an elbow slammed in between his neck and shoulder, hitting the pressure point almost dead on.

As he slumped to the floor, he saw that Jack was already out cold and that Howell was gone along with Rose. His whole body hit the floor as his vision faded between hazy and black. A Time Lord was harder to knock out with pressure points because they were mere centimeters off from human pressure points, yet it still worked. The Doctor felt his body lift up as someone turned him over and began to drag him across the floor by the collar of his suit coat.

His vision faded as they moved around the corner and he could just see Rose, her head lulling over Howell's arm. Her blonde hair and pale face were the clearest things he saw before he blackened out whispering…

"Rose…"

_He was running, but…where was he running to? All he knew was that a sense of urgency thrummed through his veins as panic choked him. His Converse shoes pounding against some type of stone floor. It was dark, grays, blacks, and purples swirling around him, so much so he could barely see 10 feet in front of him. Every few seconds, lighting flashed across the sky illuminating his way briefly. Thunder broke the silence as it rumbled in the distance getting closer and closer with each step. _

_The sound of a gun blast crashed over his ears as the flash of a muzzle caught his attention; he turned as he heard the pulsating energy bullets whizz past him. Skidding to a halt the Doctor swore under his breath as he turned to face his attacker. Out of the darkness came Howell, dressed in black and red, like the Grim Reaper. Anger surged through his veins as he raised the sonic right back at the dark prince._

"_You…" growled the Doctor, Howell grinned as he stopped at the Doctor's words. His eyes flashed with danger that made the Doctor tense as Howell's finger wrapped around the trigger._

"_The last of the Time Lords…" Lighting flashed in the sky, the purplish light showing the maddening look upon his face. Howell's dark purple eyes flashed with an evil look as he began to squeeze the trigger. The Doctor's finger was ready to press the sonic to try and dismantle the gun before it fired as a subtle panic filled his hearts._

"_STOP!" screamed a familiar voice, the Doctor looked just behind Howell to see coming towards them through the darkness was Rose. The closer she came the Doctor could see she looked haggard and frightful. Her blonde streamed about her face as the wind picked up; there were visible tears in her eyes and on her face._

"_What are you doing here?!" snapped Howell, Rose glared at the prince, yet the Doctor could see the fear in her eyes as they flickered between Howell, the Doctor, and the gun. He could see the look of intent of her face._

"_Rose, stop! Go back!" The Doctor reached out towards her, pointing towards the place she had just came from. Yet once again she did not listen. Instead she tried to move towards him._

"_Doc—" Howell reached out and pulled Rose to his side with a sharp pull. Rose cried out in pain as the Doctor quickly tried to help her only to have the gun shoved hard into his chest. Rose gasped as Howell's smiled widened as he pressed the gun harder into the Doctor's chest, making him wince. Rose reached forward towards the gun, but Howell then sharply yanked her arm behind her back making her cry out._

"_You will watch this!" Howell smirked as Rose blinked tears out of her eyes. Rose and the Doctor's eyes met, he only gave her a soft smile as Rose silently sobbed biting her lip as she lowered her head. The Doctor kept his eyes on her as Howell slowly pulled the trigger. Yet the gun never went off. The Doctor stared at the gun as the trigger glowed brightly forming a barrier around the trigger. Each time the frustrated prince tried to fire his weapon, the trigger would not budge. Then a cold, powerful spoke,_

"_You shall not harm him." A soft glow of white-gold light pulled Howell's attention away from the Time Lord to his 'bride'._

"_Rose?" breathed the Doctor, his gut twisting as the breath seized in his lungs as he stared at her bowed head. When her name was spoken, she raised her head, standing up straight. The Doctor gasped, her eyes were glowing with white gold light; the power flaring brighter and brighter around her body._

_Howell, in shock, let go of Rose, his jaw falling open as he sputtered,_

"_R-Rose? W-what in the name of the gods—" Rose turned to look at him, her expression cold and hard. Howell raised his gun towards her. The Doctor threw himself between Rose and the gun._

"_No!" A warm hand touched his shoulder, the Doctor looked to see Rose smiling up at him, her eyes back to their normal color despite the fact her body was still glowing brighter and brighter._

"_It's alright." The Doctor opened his mouth but no words came out as Rose walked around him, her eyes turning gold again as she approached Howell. The Andorran prince backed away from her, his gun still pointed at her chest. The Doctor couldn't help but smile at the fear on Howell's face._

"_R-Rose, m-my love? What—" Rose scoffed as her eyes flared with power as anger built up inside her voice snapping coldly,_

"_I am not your Rose!" The Doctor realized her voice was no longer her own. It was powerful, ethereal as it echoed around them; it was a voice he heard once before—on Satellite 5. Almost like the voice of Time, the voice of the Bad Wolf herself. Howell's eyes flickered to the Time Lord standing behind Rose with an uneasy smile on his face. Howell shifted his gun towards the Doctor again, his shaking hands steadying as his finger squeezed the trigger halfway. _

_Rose didn't even react as the Doctor expected her to. Instead she merely stepped in front of the Doctor, raising her head in defiance. The halo of gold light expanded around her as she gently waved her hand in front of her, the din of the storm fading as a lighting strike in the sky froze mid strike and stayed that way. Both the Doctor and Howell stared wide-eyed at her display of power. She had stopped time itself! Howell merely smirked as he raised his gun again, shifting it this way and that to get the shot around Rose._

"_Very cheeky, Rose! Very nice display of some funny Time Lord magic! Now…move aside!" Rose gave a growl as her power flared, pulsating with her rapid heartbeat._

"_This is my true power, prince! Not magic! You will cease these violent actions! Drop your weapon!" A dark look came over Howell's face as he yelled back at Rose,_

"_I will take what is mine! I will have revenge against the Time Lords! Don't make me shoot you my love!" _

"_You shall not harm the last of the Time Lords!" Howell's face twisted into a dangerous look as his hands trembling ceased as a look of finality came into his dark violet eyes. The fear and anger made his eyes widen as he finally pulled the trigger whispering,_

"_So be it!"_

_The Doctor cried out as the bolt sped towards her, he tried to move towards her but found that the glow about Rose's slim form was some form of force field blocking him. Yet he need not worry, Rose's hand caught the beam just like she had done on Satellite 5. Then with a flick of her hand she sent the bolt back at Howell. The bolt hit the prince in the shoulder causing him to stumble back in pain. When he recovered Howell's eyes and face were black with rage as he spat at Rose,_

"_You, bitch!" Rose merely gave him a cheeky smile. Howell regained his balance as he looked at his bleeding shoulder. With a cry of rage, he pulled out the ceremonial sword from his belt, dropping his now empty gun and pulling out a dagger as well._

"_You think your little toys can hurt me?" asked Rose, her ethereal voice echoing slightly with humor and distain as Howell gave her a look. His eyes then flickered towards the Doctor as his voice dripped with hate._

"_Once I'm done with her," shouted Howell, gesturing to Rose with his dagger, he then pointed it at the Doctor, "I'm coming for you!" Shifting his stance he gave Rose a look as he said, "Don't worry my love, this will only hurt a little bit." Howell then charged at Rose._

"_ROSE!" screamed the Doctor, yet Rose raised her hand and a light surrounded the raging prince, stopping Howell in his tracks. The gold light became brighter and brighter around her and the angry prince with each beat of her heart. The Doctor squinted as he could see Rose's lips moving as a soft song began to sing in the cold air._

_The ball of light had entrapped Howell as he tried to get at Rose with no success. Instead Howell was suddenly gasping as he dropped his weapons, the gold light turning them to dust. Howell was starting to claw at his throat as his eyes and mouth began to bleed gold and that was all he could see before…_

_Before the white-gold light flared brilliantly as it expanded around her and Howell, making the Doctor shield his eyes. Even covering his eyes he could feel the burning light trying to work its way into him, the searing heat burning his arms. When the heat and the light faded, his ears buzzed with silence. They were gone, Rose and Howell were gone…Where had they gone?!_

_The Doctor spun on the spot, looking for any trace of the gold light, yet he saw nothing. The wind and sounds of the storm had begun again as the lighting finished flashing across the sky as thunder boomed in his ears. Panic began to choke him as he ran left then right trying to find Rose before…before…_

_The more he seemed to run, the more lost and panicked he seemed to become as the lighting streaks increased lighting up the sky in a dazzling but terrifying show of nature at the same time. Where was she?! He was really starting to panic now he couldn't see her, he couldn't sense her. Where had she gone?!_

"_ROSE!" The darkness seemed to have melted away as soon as he called her name. A soft glowing light appeared behind him making him turn around. He stared in awe as Rose stood before him, the white gold light still pulsating with her heartbeat. She merely smiled at him; her eyes were brown again as she spoke to him, yet he could not hear her. Her eyes then flared gold as she clutched her head, her body tensing with pain._

"_Rose…?Rose?! ROSE?!—" he cried out trying to move towards her, only to find that his way was blocked by invisible wall. He pounded against the invisible wall, calling for her, it was then Rose looked at him. She looked at the Doctor with sad eyes as a loud voice suddenly had the Doctor in its grip._

"_She is Ours…" The Doctor fell to his knees as he clapped his hands over his ears to stop of the chorus of a thousand voices echoing in his ears. It was like the voice of the universe, neither man, woman or child but a symphony of voices that screamed into his ears, making his eyes water._

"_She is Ours, Time Lord." the Voice repeated, the Doctor looked up at Rose who was bent double, screaming in pain, though he could not hear her. "We will reclaim her…She is Ours…" The words echoed in the darkness like a threat as Rose fell to her knees, her body now covered in a gold haze almost mist-like. The Doctor watched in horror as the gold mist surrounded her body as light flared around her in pulses that matched her heartbeat._

"_Leave her alone!" the Doctor screamed as the pulses got slower and slower. Rose collapsed onto her side; her now brown eyes glassy and dim, looking at him as the gold pulses were fading. Her face was pale; sweat covered her brow as she reached out weakly for him. Though he could not hear her, he knew his name was on her lips as she repeated it, a cry for help._

"_You cannot stop Us. She should have been Ours' years ago so We will take her. The Universe will correct itself. She is Ours, she is Ours, she is Ours…" The Voice kept repeating like a drum beat in his ears, his head, his hearts, his soul as Rose whispered his name one last time as her eyes closed and her body slumped and stilled. The gold light faded leaving behind her pale, still body. The Doctor felt his breath freeze in his lungs as his ears rang louder and louder as he stared at her limp form. Her limp, _dead_, form…Dead, dead, dead, dead…_

_She was dead and he could not save her… _

"—NOOOO!"

The Doctor sat bolt upright screaming, a cold sweat began to soak him to the bone. When he tried to wet his dry lips only to find his mouth was dry as well. His mind whirled with racing thoughts and mind numbing panic. Where was he? Where was Rose? Rose? _Rose?!_ A groan came from between his clenched teeth as the memory of the dream passed over his eyes. Rose…Howell…the Bad Wolf…Rose dying…he…unable to save her, unable to comfort her, unable to do _anything_!

"No, no, no stop it!" the Doctor growled to himself as he gripped his pounding head, "She's alive! She's _alive_!" The Doctor swallowed loudly as he held his breath, forcing his respiratory bypass system to take over, forcing him to calm down. He took in a deep breath after several seconds; he had to calm down, he couldn't panic. Once he calmed himself down he tried to make sense of his surroundings.

Blinking several times, the Doctor felt disoriented and tired. He focused on the lights above his head, after several seconds a 'Ha!' softly came from his lips. The low-lit lights had a very minute strobe effect thus making the victims in the cell disoriented, thus keeping them from causing trouble.

The Doctor snorted softly as he swung himself to settle his feet on the floor. A hiss came from between his teeth as the muscles of his shoulder screamed in protest. Yanking at his suit coat and shirts aside he looked at his left shoulder where a huge, nasty purple, black and green bruise was from where the guard had slammed his elbow to knock him out. Twisting his left shoulder and working the sore muscles with his other hand. Wincing, he was finally able to work out the kinks. By then he could fully remember how he came to be here. The chase, the Andorrans, Howell, the proposal, the threat and Rose…

The Doctor sighed as he roughly rubbed his face with his hands. The images of Rose's face when Howell proposed then threatened to kill Jack and himself in the same breath. He pressed a hand to his hearts as they slowed down, knowing Rose was okay, yes, she was taken prisoner by the Andorran prince, but she was safe.

"What is that _bloody_ noise?" the Doctor asked himself as he squinted up at the lights. Ever since he had woken up there was a slight humming noise that was becoming very annoying. Was it the lights? The Doctor closed his eyes and focused on the sound, no, it could not be the lights. It was too close to him. Besides the lights already had their function to disorient the prisoners. He opened his eyes as he stared at the bars in front of him. His brow furrowed as he stared at the bars wondering if…He began to undo his tie when he winced in pain again.

"Stupid…can't _believe_…" he muttered under his breath as he dug his fingers harder into the muscles, twisting his arm and shoulder left and right. He couldn't believe that he could see what was going to happen to him. Should've known the moment that they had knocked Rose out, that he and Jack would be the next victims. He should have been prepared he should have been ready for it but, his mind was preoccupied with Rose's condition. His brows furrowed his he thought about Rose again was she all right? Did the general cause significant damage to her frail human body or was she all right is somewhere on the ship?

By now it was clear to him that was in some sort of prison. The lights other than disorient the prisoners' senses; it was also a bit hard on his eyes as they adjusted to the light levels. It was a dark, high tech looking prison with at least six large cells and one heavy metal bolted door. As he squinted at the door, wishing that he could see the door better in the dim light and he _really_ wished he had not handed over his sonic.

His mind started working furiously to see if he could come up with some way to get out of here! The door was several inches thick in density, very heavy with a code lock on the outside and inside. The small porthole like window probably could withstand numerous weapons, maybe even a nuclear blast. Small cameras were pointed at every cell to which the Doctor took one look at and glared. Howell probably was watching them. As his eyes adjusted to the odd lighting, which was meant to daze and confuse the people in the cells, but luckily his Time Lord senses overcame that in a few minutes.

The humming noise was now starting to get really annoying. This wasn't the soft hum of the TARDIS that he was used to but a sound that only could be described as between electric with a hint of twisting metal. In his 900 years of existence, the Doctor had come across some very annoying sounds but this would surely was going to take the cake at this point in his existence. Between his own stress and injuries, his fears for Rose and the overwhelming tension, he was sure that this annoying sound were surely going to make him go mad if he didn't do in anything to stop it.

"Let's see." the Doctor whispered just under his breath as he surveyed the bars of his cell. With his tongue between his teeth he stared at them, they looked like ordinary metal jail bars standard on any and every jail he had ever come across in any time, place, universe and quite a few odd places every once in a while. Yet knowing the Andorran nobility, he knew there had to be something a lot more sinister behind these innocent looking pieces of metal. He leaned his head close enough to the bars, but not close enough to touch them for he didn't know what would happen if he did, he detected the sound of the annoying humming.

"Ah-ha!" He exclaimed clapping his hands as a familiar smirk came across his lips, "Gotcha!" He reached up to his neck and started to undo his already loosened tie, yet the knot was a lot tighter than usual. For he had tightened it too tight in his hurry when he had heard Jack's scream that something had happened to Rose. After several seconds his nimble fingers managed to undo the tight knot.

He stared at the bar he'd been examining, his tongue in between his teeth again as he tossed his tie from one hand to the other. His mind rapidly started to go over what could be and could not be causing the humming noise coming from the bars. The silken tie was passed from left hand right hand to left hand again and sometimes swung like a lasso.

"Alrighty then, allons-y!" With the precision that would impress even the most senior of cowboys out on the range the Doctor managed to loop the smaller end of the tie several times around the metal bar. Within seconds of the cloth touching the bar, there was a zap of electricity and a flare of light.

The jail bars around the entire cell instantly glowed a sickening electric blue that hummed even louder as the bar electrocuted the tie. The Doctor jumped back, pulling with him the frayed in charred end of the tie still in his hand. The remaining piece of tie that had been wrapped around the metal pole was instantly set on fire when the bars glowed blue.

"Yikes!" The Doctor watched as the remaining bits of the burnt, charred silken cloth turned to ash and fell the floor. The instant smell of burning silk filled his nose and he realized that the end of the tie that he was still holding was on fire.

"Not good!" He quickly threw the burning tie on the floor stamping it out with his foot. Electric bars, just great! Now there was really no way of getting out unless one wanted to get fried. He didn't want to regenerate and he was sure Jack had been electrocuted quite a few times as to not want to relive that death again. The smell of burning silk was nasty and filled the cell as he kicked the brunt tie away as his eyes fell upon the other occupant of the cell.

The Doctor sighed with relief upon seeing Jack's back rise and fall with deep breaths and mumbled something under his breath in his sleep. Getting to his feet the Time Lord went to go check on the well being of his friend. Despite being immortal, Jack in many ways was still human.

He winced upon seeing the numerous injuries that he had gained since the Doctor had last seen him several hours ago. Jack had rolled over slightly thus giving the Doctor a better view of his injuries. There was a pretty nasty bruise on the left side of his face surrounding his left eye and upper cheekbones and lower jaw. Not to mention quite a few scratches and a pretty nasty cut from his cheek to his chin. It looked like as if Jack had been thrown up against the back cell wall by the guards when they had put them in the cell. His elbow and left wrist were also bruised showing that he had tried to block the blow.

As the Doctor surveyed Jack's numerous injuries he suddenly reeled back in shock as he watched something curious and horrifying occurring at the same moment. The bruises around Jack's neck, shoulders, and wrists started to fade away from dark black and blue to purple to green to yellow then to tan unblemished skin. Curiously the Doctor leaned in close as he put his glasses on the bridge of his nose as he watched the injured capillaries and blood vessels heal. The scratches quickly scabbed then healed leaving dried blood as the only reminder of the injuries that had occurred.

"Rassilon!" he cursed under his breath as he managed to stumble back onto his own bed in shock. He knew Jack's immortality given to him by Rose when she was the Bad Wolf returned him to life soon after death but he never imagined this. Jack's regeneration properties seemed similar, no almost identical to that of the Time Lords minus the gleaming light show. After the shock had faded away, the Doctor reached out and gently shook Jack by his shoulder trying to wake him up.

"Jack, Jack, wake up." Jack's brow furrowed as he muttered something in a rumbling voice too soft to hear. He then shifted as he kept talking in his sleep. The Doctor rolled his eyes as he shook Jack harder this time.

"Jack, wake up!" Once again the former Time Agent did not awake, even as the Doctor kicked at the cell bed. Jack smiled a tricky grin in his sleep as his sleepy voice gave light to his dreams. Of course, he was dreaming about a game of strip poker in Vegas Prime; the Doctor threw his arms up in the air in frustration as Jack's groggy voice broke through cheekily,

"No sweetheart, you first, I have an ace of spades—Take that—top off—" The Doctor was no longer going to be gentle now, he rounded on the sleeping man yelling into his ear,

"JACK HARKNESS! WAKE UP!" Jack started with a jolt and a cry as he quickly lost his balance on the narrow cell bed, falling off and crashing to the floor. The Doctor crossed his arms and smirked as the dazed man sat up from the floor rubbing his head.

"Huh? Wha? What happened?" Jack blinked the sleepiness out of his eyes staring dumbly up at the Doctor. With a slight smile the Time Lord held out a hand to Jack and pulled him to his feet. He then settled Jack down on the cell bed he had previous occupied. Jack shook his head as he tried to fight the disorienting effects of the lights.

"Just relax, the lights are meant to disorient you and whatever you do—don't—touch—the—bars. They are electrified." Jack shook his head again as the disorientation faded away. He eyed the jail bars then shivered as he remembered being electrocuted in 1903.

"Thanks, don't wanna go through _that_ again," Jack rubbed the sore spot on his head where he had so unceremoniously hit the floor when he was jolted awake. As Jack became more aware of his surroundings he looked around the dim, daunting prison. "Where the _hell_ are we?"

The former Time Agent looked around at the prison as slow comprehension began to fill his face. He rubbed the back of his head some more as if that would help him regain his memory as his brow furrowed.

"Last thing I remember is Rose being knocked out by that son of a bitch who _calls_ himself a general then—" He then stabbed himself in the shoulder and he instantly regretted it as he swore loudly with a few choice words as he pulled his shirt aside to look at the skin. It was no longer black and blue with bruises but the soreness was still there, "—Should not have done that! Then woke up here, _painfully_ thanks to you!" Jack shot the Doctor an annoyed look as he tried to work the soreness out of his shoulder. The Doctor merely smiled as he once again sat down on his own bed.

"Well I'm _pretty_ sure we are in the prison in the bowels of an Andorran A Class cruiser." Jack stared at the cell opposite of theirs as he rested his chin in his hands. After several seconds Jack sat straight up as concern flickered across his face.

"Rose! Where is Rose?" The Doctor's eyes darkened as he sighed staring down at his trainers as he raked a hand through his hair.

"I don't know…" he said softly, his voice shaking. Jack wondered if he should try to comfort his friend as the Doctor's dark eyes reflected numerous dark emotions, "I don't even know if she's alright…" Jack reached out and rested a hand on his shoulder giving him a comforting shake.

"Hey, she's strong, she'll be ok." The Doctor merely nodded though Jack knew that he was not really hearing him. The Doctor leaned against the wall at the foot of his bed, trying to quiet his mind. If he could just use his telepathy to just sense even the tiniest hint of her mind, he would be able to relax knowing she was safe and not severely injured from the general's attack.

The Doctor breathed in and out deeply as he pulled in on himself into the deepest recesses of his mind. Soon he was no longer was aware of Jack's physical presence, the humming of the electric bars, the dim lights, or even of his own physical body. He knew they were there, oh yes, he could instantly return to that reality but he didn't want to.

In his mind's eye his mind was a vast universe with strands of mental thought and signatures. Most were tiny strands of insignificant thought and beings interwoven with thin gold ropes that represent their place in Time. He could sense that Jack was close him, his thread stretching so far into the future that his twisted and turned with sickening colors of spilt oil. The Doctor's brow furrowed as he focused on the mental signatures in this ship trying to find the warmth of Rose's mind. However as he kept going something clicked in the back of his mind, something that he hadn't felt in so long that he gasped out loud and broke his trance.

Jack watched the Doctor's brow furrow in concentration when all of a sudden, a awe struck gasp came out of his mouth before his eyes snapped open. The sudden shock of his own mental link slamming forcefully back into reality caused the Doctor to sway slightly. Thinking he was going to faint and fall straight onto the electrified bars, Jack dashed forward, grabbed the Doctor's upper arms, forcing him against the wall.

"Did you find her?! Did you find Rose? Is she alright?" The Doctor was breathing hard as he kept his eyes shut as he shook his head. Jack's jaw clenched, as he was about to ask what had caused him to loose his concentration when the Time Lord opened his eyes. The sheer awe, happiness, sadness and so many overwhelming emotions that filled his brown eyes nearly brought Jack to his knees. The Doctor blinked tears out of his eyes as he forced himself to calm down.

"I felt her, Jack. I felt Rose not with her mental signature, but I felt her here!" He tapped his head with a finger as the awestruck smile on his face widened into an ear splitting grin. The Doctor then yanked Jack forward as he held Jack's perplexed face in his hands as he rambled,

"Do you know how long that feeling as been gone from me, Jack?" Jack opened and his closed mouth, his dark eyes staring at the Doctor with numerous questions. "Centuries! Oh, Rassilon! To not have my bleeding head not feel so _empty_!" He let go of Jack's face as he clapped his hands in delight. Jack stood there for a moment before straightening up, wondering if the Doctor had gone mad for a moment or two.

"What are you talking about Doc?" The Doctor looked up at Jack, blinked then the question clicked.

"Oh! Oh, yes, well." The Doctor settled himself down as Jack kept a wary eye on his excited friend and cellmate. "Time Lords have very strong telepathic presence with other Time Lords. We can feel each other in the deepest recesses of our minds. We can feel when a new Time Lord is born or dies…" His eyes went dark as he then looked down at his hands. They shook slightly as he stared at them, he could almost see and smell the blood of his own people on these hands. Upon seeing the dark look in the Doctor's eyes, Jack reached out and rested a hand on the Doctor's shoulder. The Doctor did not look at him so Jack said softly,

"Stop Doc, I get it, stop." The Doctor blinked as he forced the whirlwind of images that flooded his mind away. The towering mountain peaks, the orange streaked skies, domed cities then…then…the fire. Domes shattering, cities crumbling, and burning as the Time Lords pitted themselves against that timeless enemy of the Daleks. The smell of fire, dust, the sound of energy laser fire and the screams…the _screams _as the Daleks gained the upper hand. The decision he made that doomed several intelligent races that had existed since the beginning of time…his own race, friends, and family…in that one blazing instant of madness!

"_Doctor!_" Jack shook the Doctor roughly, pulling him away from his dark thoughts. Jack gently grabbed the Doctor's face and whispered, "Enough, enough, stop." The Doctor felt himself sigh as he forced himself to clear his head and breathe again.

"I…I lost that feeling when…" The Doctor bit his lip as his eyes pricked with tears, "My head has been empty for so long so when I felt, _feel_, Rose in my head it's…shocking." Jack nodded softly as he kept his eyes on the Doctor; his eyes alight with concern. He was afraid the Doctor would sink into that dark attitude that was so reminiscent of his previous regeneration, so he had to get him away from these dark thoughts.

"So…because of Rose's…changes…you can feel her mental signature just like you'd used to feel with your people?" The Doctor gave a brief smile as he nodded.

"I can feel every mental signature of every being on this ship instinctively, just like…wisps, indifferent wisps I can ignore. But with a Time Lords' or Rose's mental signature, I can't ignore, it is _here_ in my head telling me she's here, she's alive. My mind is not empty anymore…just a brief glance into her mind I know where she is, if she's ok or not, her emotions…_everything_…"

With a breathless sigh, the Doctor rubbed his face roughly. The Doctor felt the back of his head bang against the wall as he pulled in on himself. This time it was a little harder to focus on getting himself back into that calming trance. His hearts were pounding in his ears; palms sweating and he could clearly feel Jack's eyes boring into him. After several deep breaths, he sunk back deep into the recesses of his mind. The moment he was back in the universe of his mind, he felt the spark of Rose's shifting mental signature from human into something new growing stronger with each passing second.

A knot grew in his throat as he clenched his hands into fists as he fought against the overwhelming joy and guilt as he bathed in that almost life inspiring signature. It filled his consciousness he had been unable to feel that feeling since he felt the last of his people die by his hand. He forced himself to calm down since his erratic, rambling mind would surely shock Rose's changing consciousness or even damage it.

He quickly found Rose's mental signature, it was not as strong as Jack's meaning she was farther away from him, but it wasn't weak so she probably was…He mentally saw himself sticking his tongue between his teeth as he tried to remember Ion's old diagram of the A Class cruiser. If he was correct she'd be in one of the staterooms on the fifth deck which was six decks above them. Upon finding her mental signature, he knew she was asleep because the brain activity was ten times more than what it was when awake.

Gently he pushed against the walls of Rose's mind, he could feel her mind wince as he pushed against her barriers. He reached out with his own mental signature and gently brushed over her mind softly, sending her a message that he would not harm her. Rose instantly relaxed and allowed him access to her mind. Upon entering the recesses of her mind, he gasped as he forced himself not to retreat back into his own mind in shock and awe of her mind.

Within a flash of gold, the Doctor found himself immersed in the complex universe that was Rose's mind. Not only was it her mind, but also a human mind that was changing into…into…The Doctor shook himself as he forced himself to focus on making contact with his companion. Her mind, oh Rassilon, he could spend months, no, _years_ studying it!

Rose's mind was a mixture between a human's and a newborn Time Lord's—erratic, racing, tumbling and a short span of thought moving along at a million miles per hour. The Doctor could see her memories were jumbles of glass like screens as one would see at a cinema, playing different scenes over and over on the glass screens. The largest hunks of glass were playing over and over memories from only a few hours ago.

The one that stood in the center of the chandelier of memories was her last memory of him. He could see his own face, shock, and fear written all over it. His brown eyes going wide as he lurched towards her, he became a haze then clear, then a haze again as he heard himself call out her name before she blacked out.

The Doctor reached out to touch the reoccurring memory, the instant his fingertips touched the glass, it shattered the memory fading like a dead light. He backed away crying out in shock at the shattering of the memory. Her glass like memories were surrounded by her ever racing thoughts like whirls of pictures, colors, shapes, and sounds that seemed like a river that danced around her memories.

"_Rose?"_ the Doctor asked softly, his voice reaching out into the chaos of her changing mind. The memories stopped mid frame and the river of thoughts stopped, but for a mere few seconds as Rose tried to comprehend who or what was calling out her name in her own mind. The new stream of thought swirled around the Doctor as Rose's voice narrated her own thoughts. She debated whether this was her own mind or something else.

The Doctor focused, expanding his mental signature from the small presence into a larger more dazzling presence that she would surely recognize. Only three times before had he entered her mind, made his presence known, and communicated with her this way. Twice during his previous regeneration when they were separated in a dangerous situation and only once during this regeneration during a massive riot on Pandora 9. Keeping mental contact with her to quell her fears and meet up with her in a safe location.

"_Rose! It's me! Talk to me!"_ He felt Rose's mind shudder as everything about them froze upon hearing his voice. The glass memories froze and rivers of thought stopped dimming in color as a flare of gold light appeared behind the Doctor. Rose appeared behind him in a shimmering mist on the other side. She blinked several times and looked down at herself, she was still silhouetted in gold. With a swipe of her hand she pushed aside memories and thoughts until she was even with the Doctor.

Her eyes were wide as she her brow furrowed as she surveyed him curiously as new thoughts twisted and turned around the dark recesses of her mind. The feeling of confusion and disbelief that overwhelmed the Doctor washed over him as if her emotions were his own.

"_Doctor?"_ she asked, her eyes unsure as she hesitated to touch his face, the rivers of dull, gray thought shattered about them like glass then morphed into droplets of water around them breaking apart into whirls of color and chaos, _"Is it you…?"_

Her brow furrowed as she reached a hesitant hand and touched his face as a tingle of energy and warmth zapped through him. A shiver ran through him both mentally and physically as he relished in the feel of her emotions racing across his own mental field. A thrill ran through him as the mental link and signature grew stronger with each passing second.

"_Yes,"_ he replied softly, pressing his hand over hers, _"It's really me, see?" _He reached out, running his fingers over Rose's temples, a blur of gold and blue colors ran over her temples that became swirls of mist, like colliding universes, as memories only he would know floated over her consciousness. The memories swirled around her head, crystallizing into small memory glasses. A smile came across her face, her pink tongue sticking out between her teeth as the memories played for her.

"_It _is_ you!"_ she giggled, she then made a sweeping motion with her hand to wipe the memories away, but nothing happened. She tried again and again to make them stop circling her head like stars did in old cartoons when the character hit his or her head. Her burrow furrowed as she glowed gold slightly as her frustration mounted with her power.

"_Here, let me."_ The Doctor then swept the memories aside and with a snap of his fingers they vanished in a burst of energy and power. The Doctor had briefly forgotten how vulnerable and unstable Rose's changing mentality was. The sudden force and power of the Doctor's own mental abilities sent Rose's into chaos. When the burst of power hit her system, her entire mental universe shivered violently. Memory glasses shattered and rivers of thought burst into colors and chaos before fading away just leaving the two them in a large dark empty space. The Doctor suddenly grabbed Rose's shoulders as he steadied her, pulling her closer to him, trying to keep her from falling over.

"_I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! My mental signature is stronger and more developed than yours. Here let me, calm down the chaos…"_ The Doctor pressed his fingers against her temples, but quickly realized that wouldn't work since he was in Rose's mind already. So instead he pulled her into a tight hug. The chaos in Rose's mind slowly died down as the Doctor forced his own mental abilities back towards his own consciousness.

Rose had clamped her eyes shut during the painful surge of mental power, but now she blinked several times as she focused her mind again as her mental background flickered between black, gold, and multicolored flashes of light. Rose shook her head as she opened her eyes as her mental clarity came back into sharp focus. The Doctor tried to keep her close as she pulled away but she interjected,

"_No, no, it's alright."_ She then surveyed him, numerous emotions washed over him in a sudden wave that nearly had him stumbling backwards. It had been so long since the Doctor had a lasting mental connection that he had nearly forgotten how to handle the influx of emotions and thoughts that were not his own.

Fear, love, happiness, anger, concern, and apprehension washed over him like a wave as he focused on her and not the numerous emotions that flowed through him like water. He was forced to put up the majority of his mental barriers to stop the influx of emotions, thoughts and memories of Rose from overtaking his mind. It almost made him want to sob and whine like an ungrateful child, unwilling to give up this sudden treat of true, unrivaled mental contact. Yet he had to focus on his mission: making sure she was okay.

"_How are you here?"_ she asked, the Doctor then tapped his mind with a forefinger. Rose's eyes then widened, her mouth forming a small 'O' as she nodded saying quietly, _"Oooh right, Time Lord stuff…"_

Rose then looked around at her darkened surroundings then at the Doctor again. A whisper of her thoughts danced around him and through his mind as her numerous mental questions moved about. After a few seconds she seemed to realize that they were both in her mind.

"_Is this kinda what happened on Pandora 9, right? All in our heads, yeah?"_ she asked, spinning her fingers around in a circle near her head. The Doctor chuckled as he shoved his hands into the pockets of the trench coat he was wearing in his mind's eye.

"_Yes, just like that."_ The smile then dimmed from her face as rivers of thought swirled about them again, bringing color, light and sound back to the darkened cavity of Rose's mind. Rose rubbed her temples as she tried to remember the situation that had brought them to these events. The Doctor would only be tapping into her mind if something was truly wrong or if he was truly worried about her well-being.

"_What—what happened?"_ The humorous look upon his face died away as his eyes darkened as they were fixed on Rose's face.

"_Howell happened."_ The Doctor grumbled as his shoulders hunched slightly in disgust as he waited for Rose to remember. As she did so, numerous large and medium sized chunks of glass memories floated around them as they played out several of Rose's memories from only a few hours ago. The largest memory was once again her last memories before being painfully knocked out.

"_I remember Howell pro—proposing, the threats, then…"_ She reached up gingerly and rubbed where she had been struck. Instantly the Doctor hissed with pain as he felt his right shoulder burn with sudden pain—her pain. The sudden physical and mental dose of pain caused Rose's mental state to again flicker between her consciousness and reality.

"_I just got knocked, yeah? I'm fine,"_ she reached out towards him with the arm of her injured shoulder then suddenly winced in pain again. This time the jab of pain was worse as Rose then pulled away her jacket and shirt to reveal a dark black stain on her pale skin. A gasp tore from between her teeth at the sight and quickly covered it so the Doctor could not see. Yet when she looked up, she could see his brown eyes changing to black with rage—he did see. _"What the hell is that?!"_ Rose hissed to herself as she turned away from the Doctor though she knew he saw it.

"_It's your brain's reaction to the pain, thus estimating the damage of the real physical injury."_ She barely heard him move around her until he was in front of her, his face a blank slate though his eyes were turning dark with numerous emotions. Rose quickly masked her own as she felt the Doctor brush a random strand of hair away from her face. His dark eyes fell upon her injured shoulder as his fingertips slowly slipped down her face and neck to her shoulder. Rose shivered as a new color river of thoughts and emotions spun around their still figures. _"It's alright, I'm alright."_

Yet she knew the Doctor knew she was not fine at all. She turned her head slightly away, causing the injury to twinge as she felt the Doctor's cool fingertips pull aside her shirt. A hiss of pain came from between her lips as she felt his fingertips press gently against the injury.

"_They really did hurt you…" _he said softly as he tucked Rose's shirt back into place. The injury would not be so black and painful if it was minor. The general had done quite a bit of damage to his Rose and it made the Doctor furious. Rose turned her head back a bit to look at the Doctor after he became very quiet. The air about him buzzed with energy and Rose could feel waves of powerful energy as his face then morphed into an angry look as everything seemed to darken and dim. Rose felt his very strong, very powerful mental signature make its presence in her mind.

Rose could hear a screeching sound that was a mix of TV static and the screeches of the Daleks as foreign thoughts and feelings overwhelmed her own as the Doctor's anger pressed in on her mind. The noise got louder and louder the angrier and the more distracted the Doctor became. Anger rumbled about her mind that she began to feel emotions that were not her own. _How dare they—how dare they harm _her_ Rose_—Wait, _she_ was Rose! These weren't her emotions pressing in on her. They were the Doctors! _They could have killed her, she could be dead_—No! She was here, alive!

She felt as if hands were clamped tightly over her head, squeezing tighter and tighter. Her memory mirrors warped as cracks appeared in the memories making them look distorted and multiply. Her thoughts twisted into multiple loops and jagged edges as they faded from gray to black.

"_Doctor! Stop!"_ she cried, her hands clamped over her ears. She winced as the pain in her head clamped tighter and tighter. Rose could swear that even in her own mind she was beginning to see black spots. The Doctor suddenly realized his strong mental presence was overwhelming Rose's changing and fragile mind. A sharp snap echoed in the dim space as the Doctor suddenly pulled back his intruding mentality, locking it away so that it would no longer harm her.

Instantly the rumbling, the darkness and the pain faded leaving Rose gasping as her knees buckled. Her form instantly started to glow as healing wisps of gold and faint tints of pink trickled about them, healing the cracks in her memories and bringing new life to her dim, strangled thoughts. The Doctor threw himself beside her, instant streams of apologies and self-admonishing filled her ears as the Doctor hesitantly reached out to touch her face and his hand trembled.

"_Rose, I'm so, so, so sorry! I should've realized—I'm so stupid—You could have been hurt physically as well as mentally—I could've damaged you!"_ Rose saw his shaking, hesitant hand and she gently pulled it along with his other hand, pressing his cool hands to her flush face.

"_It's 'lright,"_ she murmured softly, relishing the feeling of his cool fingers brushing her blonde hair away from her face. He looked at her, his eyes bright with guilt as he shook his head. He opened his mouth but Rose merely pressed a finger against his lips to silence him, _"No, stop."_

"_Where are you? Are you alright?"_ she asked softly as his hands dropped to his sides again as Rose leaned forward on her knees her wide brown eyes filled with concern. The Doctor gnawed at his lower lip as he debated whether or not to tell Rose where he and Jack were currently. Yet upon seeing the concern in her eyes he sighed loudly as he rubbed the back of his head.

"_Jack and I are in a prison cell on the lower levels of the ship—"_

"_Ship?"_ she interrupted, her eyes grew larger as he watched a blurry memory glass appear behind her of the large Andorran ship landing just outside the rattling, hot warehouse. The Doctor nodded when Rose's eyes met his again.

"_Yes, an Andorran Class A Cruiser, you are probably asleep in the staterooms several levels above the prison."_ Rose's brow furrowed as her fingers balled into fists, biting her lip as numerous colorful rivers of thought swirled about her, lighting her face with colorful lights.

"_Are you hurt? Did they hurt you—?"_ Suddenly a voice floated softly, becoming louder and louder above their heads. At first it was muffled but seconds later it grew clearer and louder.

"_Doc! Doc! We've got company coming!"_ The voice was Jack's as it snapped sharply above their heads. The Doctor could feel a large, warm hand shaking him, trying to awake him. In a way it was working, the Doctor's image flickered like static on an old TV. Rose quickly got to her feet, her eyes flickering between the Doctor and the unending darkened ceiling.

"_Rose, you have to wake up!"_ The Doctor called out to her, his voice fluctuating from loud to soft as if someone was playing with the volume. Rose shook her head as gold light surrounded her body again. In return the Doctor gave a soft smile as he said again, _"Wake up, Rose! Wake up!"_


End file.
